Tonight was the Bone Marrow Donor Reception. It is the 3rd year we've attended and every year it gets better and better. My amazing husband donated bone marrow in June 2005 to an anonymous recipient who has survived. Tonight was about honoring him and all the other donors who have given of themselves so selflessly. Tonight my husband was the honored guest and his story was told.
I was in tears watching the video of him and Phyllis that was shot during her visit to San Diego in May. I've seen it before. I've heard the story before. It didn't matter. It was still amazing and still heartwarming.
Then my lovely, adorable husband got up to speak in person and share his story. He had not had much notice (he thought he was back up person a couple of weeks ago and then found out he was it when we arrived tonight!), so he took up some notes with him. They were not needed. He spoke from his heart and was genuine and real. It helps that he is a great public speaker, but the audience felt his message and emotions.
Tonight was about him and his act of bravery. Tonight was about us and the decisions we made together to go through with this act. Tonight was about Phyllis and Joel and her survival of 2 1/2 years. Tonight was about God's shining light on us and our daughter arriving in our lives just after the 1 year survival mark. Tonight was about remembering the choices you can make and the difference you can make in someone's life.
The Talmud says that to save someone's life is like saving the world. My husband has saved the world.
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5 comments:
that was a beautiful post and made me tear up a little. Jenn, I feel lucky to my life just a little of my life touched by Yiftach, how lucky are you.. to have him there all the time
I have a lump in my throat just reading this post. I am moved. And you are right about everything you said here. Yiftach is an inspiration and a shining example of an everyday hero! Thank you for sharing his story again with us here.
:)
Amy M.
Beautiful post. I wish I could have seen the presentation. I love that idea of saving the world one person at a time. Give Yiftach a big hug from me!
Thanks for making me cry at work, my friend! This was a beautifully written post, and expresses it all so well. Thank you so much for sharing, and for also giving us an update on the woman whose life he saved in the process.
For those reading this beautiful account of selflessness, you might want to read this posting from the survivor Phyllis and her husband Joel.
Yes, the story of Yiftach and Jennifer's decision to donate precious marrow for a perfect stranger is a miracle of life saving giving.
Yiftach didn't know whether putting his family life on hold would even come to a successful end. All Yiftach and Jennifer knew was that the woman who awaited, he knew not where, was a 63 year old grandmother. Not the kind of info at first glance that inspires an act that would result in much pain and inconvenience.
On Phyllis' end we knew that we had a one in ten million donor match! It was our only hope that would defeat a 25% survival rate. And when Phyllis' tranplant was delayed by a case of fungal pneumonia, would the donor flee?
Then came his response, "I will be ready when you are". So a very vibrant, attractive, 4'11" wife, mother, and grammy, was alive today to dance at her grandchildren's Bar & Bat Mitzvahs.
The bag of marrow transported to our room at the M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston brought a lump in my throat and tears of thanksgiving on our cheeks on June 15th, 2005. The Thanksgiving we celebrate today, November 22, 2007 is only because of Yiftach and Jennifer Levy.
To LIFE! To LIFE! L'Chaim!
With love and gratitude in our hearts,
Joel and Phyllis Hersch
To Life, TO LIFE! L'Chaim!
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