Hutchings was taken to Waikato Hospital and after three gruelling days in the Intensive Care Unit, his family was faced with a decision - to donate his organs or not?
Kaleigha Aitchison and her mum Emma Aitchison. Photo / Andrew Warner
"We all just said 'yes' straight away, no questions asked. That is what he would have wanted," Hutchings' mother Emma Aitchison said.
The 20-year-old known as the "life of the family", who would stay up all night for a struggling friend or go out of his way to help others, has now allowed 11 people to live full lives already and will be helping even more.
Hutchings' grandfather had always been an advocate for organ and skin donation and when he died, he was unable to.
"I was certain he [Hutchings] would have wanted the same," his mother said.
She believed her son had stayed strong on purpose so his organs would be eligible to save lives.
Only 1 per cent of people were able to donate as it needed to be done instantly, she said.
Adrian Hutchings who died in a car accident in September. Photo / Supplied
Hutchings' eyes had allowed a 9-year-old boy, along with three other people, to see again and his kidney had helped someone living on dialysis to live machine-free.
Then on Tuesday, Aitchison received a call from Organ Donation New Zealand that Hutchings' skin would be used to help critically burnt victims of the White Island tragedy.
"I just started bawling my eyes out ... I was so happy to hear that."
She said she was surprised to know he had been able to donate a decent amount and it could make the difference of survival for the victims.
"I just can't imagine what these people and their families are going through ... It is hard enough to lose one."
Aitchison had high hopes her son's eye tissue may be used to help any badly burnt victims who had received facial injuries.
"My boy could give the people caught up in this, some children, a chance."
Emma Aitchison, the mother of Adrian Hutchings, who has donated his organs and now his skin. Photo / Andrew Warner
Organ Donation New Zealand spokeswoman Rebecca Oliver said donated skin would be vital for the victims involved in the White Island tragedy.
"Being able to cover a large burn with real skin is not a cosmetic exercise, it is a lifesaving one."
Skin donations, specifically from the front and back of a donor's thighs, were the preferred dressing for severe burn victims, she said.
Donated skin is stored for up to five years at the Skin Bank in Auckland managed by the New Zealand Blood Service.
Although there were synthetic alternatives to skin available, donor skin was still regarded as the "gold standard of dressings", Oliver said.
Aitchison kept in close contact with Organ Donation New Zealand, which often sent her letters on how the people with her son's organs were doing.
So far, not one organ had rejected and the recipients were all doing great.
She hoped one day she may be able to meet the people whose bodies were now home to her son's organs or who had been helped by his skin.
Hutchings' little sister Kaleigha Aitchison said she felt her brother around her and knew this was what he would have wanted.
She said the pair had been extremely close and had a bond often compared to that of twins.
Her "cheeky" brother had always been her hero and now he was that for so many others too, she said.
His other sister Celene also recently got a tattoo of a heart on her forearm as a daily reminder that her brother's "healthy, perfect heart" was still beating.
A New Zealand Blood Service spokeswoman said they anticipated they would be providing "more [skin] in the next few days than would usually be required in a year".
There were only an estimated five to 15 local donors yearly, however, the skin bank needed close to 40 to meet demand.
"We manage our supplies with the help of donors from other countries, but we would very much like to receive more donations from New Zealanders."
Emma Aitchison said her advice to anyone was to let their family know if organ and skin donation was something they wanted to do in the circumstance of their death.
"Make it clear, it could make the difference for someone out there."
She said her son had such a generous heart and it was just like him to continue helping people after he was gone.
