A Matter of Heart

Recently, my family got to meet a very special couple.

Bill and Sharon. Our meeting has been coming for nearly three years now.

*Sharon*Cindy*Bill*

Bill was the recipient of my nephew Zachary's Heart.

On November 9, 2005 my family left Saint Francis Hospital with heavy hearts.

We had just experienced the most painful thing our family had ever gone through.

My sister's only born child had died as the result of a 4-wheeler accident.

He was only 15 years old.

We were comforted by an entire community's outpouring of love and support.

The hospital halls and waiting rooms were jam-packed with family, friends, schoolmates, teachers, coaches, and parents.

As soon as we were told the prognosis, my sister asked the most unselfish question.

"Can he be an organ donor?"

My family is full of nurses, so we are medically minded.

Also recently one of our sons' friends had had a grandmother who died while on theliver transplant waiting list.

The process had been discussed, with Zach asking alot of questions ~ he has always been
curious and inquisitive.He had told his mom that when he got his driving permit, he wanted to sign to be an organ donor. He had studied it, and decided it was definately a good thing to do.

At the same time our family grieved, another family received hope, in the form of a phone call.

"Come to the hospital...there is a heart for you..."

According to Bill's wife Sharon, they had been told that her husband's time was running out. If he didn't get a new heart soon....

And they set of for Saint Francis for the beginning of their new journey.

Zachary was able to donate heart, lungs, both kidneys, bone, skin, and eyes. The Lifeshare guy said that after all was done, over 500 people will have been helped. This fact was a grain of comfort in our time of loss.

After 6 weeks we received a letter with basic statistics of the primary organ recipients and a message as to the initial success of the transplants.

We found out ages, state of placement, basic social data.

We learned that Zach's heart had been given to a husband...a father...a grandfather. We found out that he loved doing some of the same activities that Zach had liked, like fishing.

When we were preparing to meet them, my mom and me had talked about being worried that we would be disappointed. We had a vision in our minds of what they needed to be like. The more we talked about it, the more I was certain we would be let down. My sister's main concern was that he might not be taking good care of himself.

It was a bittersweet meeting. Sure, it was a reminder of our loss. But it was also very rewarding to find out that Zach's heart was given to someone who appreciated the GIFT of Life. I know that recipients have to deal with alot, the guilt that someone had to die so that they can live. The fact is, Zach would be gone whether or not Bill had received his Heart or not. I will not lie and say that donor families do not expect the recipients to feel a certain sense of responsibilty that they must make sure that they honor their Gift. I was not disappointed. Bill and his wife displayed so much appreciation. They expressed compassion for our family, a true love that makes a bond that I know will last forever. Their honesty and sincerity, and the way they embraced our family and Zach's friends was amazing. It was a very blessed day.