BOLIVAR PENINSULA, Texas — Each October, it's a weekend full of no tricks, just treats on Crystal Beach.
A group a spirited witches dance on the beloved beach each year, honoring a woman who says she's alive today thanks to an organ donor.
The life they celebrate is of Shirley Broussard, who was diagnosed with lupus when she was 33.
The group began this tradition in July 2016. Halloween is Broussard's favorite holiday.
"They gave me a Halloween party in July at the beach, as a surprise, it was because the doctor's didn't think I would make it until October," Broussard said.
Lupus has left her fighting for her life, multiple times and most recently, at the beginning of 2022.
"She was so deconditioned, she was on five liters of oxygen at a time," said Broussard's daughter, Autumn Lydick.
Shirley had undergone four organ transplants, but was beginning to show signs of rejection.
She had a double lung transplant in 2013. In February 2022, she had single lung and single kidney transplant at the same time.
"If anybody can make it, I can make it, and if I don't, I'm fine with that too," said Broussard.
"She said, I'd rather die on the table, than suffer, and linger," Lydick said.
At the last second a donation came in, once again granting a new chance at life. Lydick says her mom would have been gone probably in February.
"I knew, whenever I prayed to God it was the end, but his perfect timing, it was perfect," Broussard said.
Six months later, the timing was perfect again.
For the first time, Broussard was strong enough to join her fellow witches in their annual tradition.
"My mom was able to dance with her grandkids this year, you know, this year we are going to be celebrating Christmas, we have the grandkids at Halloween coming up, and all this different kind of stuff, and that would not have been happening," said Broussard's daughter, Autumn Lydick.
None of it would be happening, without someone else's sacrifice.
"It's almost like a second chance at life, it is, I would have died, I probably wouldn't be here today if I wouldn't have got that transplant, I know I wouldn't of," Broussard said.
Broussard and her family hope that people see what being a donor can do.
"They don't know what kind of change they're affecting when they donate or say they agree to be donors, they're heroes, the ones that donate," said ___.
You never know, when it could be your last dance.