A LIFESAVING TRANSPLANT LEADS TO A LIFE-CHANGING MOMENT
My thank-you to AngelMedFlight.com:
Good Morning from Bettendorf, Iowa! And I am sure Michael Henkel wants to send greetings from Marl, …Germany!
On 6 November 1995 my son Matthew was born, truly the best day of my life. On 22 June 2006 my bone marrow transplant donor cells arrived from Germany, truly the second best day of my life. On 28 December 2013 (2,747 days later), my bone marrow donor Michael arrived from Germany, truly the third best day of my life. It’s been 17 days since he arrived; my health, my thinking, my life, my dreams have all been changed for the better thanks to him! And THANKS to you for the unforgettable gift of meeting him!
I owe Angel MedFlight, the staff and crew for making my biggest dream come true. Since transplant I have had the wish of meeting the man who saved my life. Due to distance, it was proving to be difficult to arrange a meeting the past 7.5 years. Not only did you bring me Michael, but you participated in a wonderful party, truly becoming part of our family. We are so honored by all the time, hard-work, and expense you put into this Holiday Homecoming, truly making our story one we will never forget!
I never could have imagined or even planned a day like December 28th! So much to be thankful for, so many reasons to feel blessed! The video you prepared was amazing; I have watched it and shared it, and continue to do so every day, several times. Michael says the same thing! We continue to communicate, and we both continue to have interviews with local media (TV, newspapers, radio, our employer, etc..). This keeps our story alive, and keeps us in contact no matter how many miles separate us!
We are both shocked by the instant connection we felt; it can be seen in the pictures, the video, and the emails we now exchange! We are getting to know each other better, thanks to current technology! I had only dreamed of meeting the man who provided life-saving, perfectly matched donor cells. Today, I recognize how much more I have been given! At the time of cancer diagnosis, treatment, and even transplant I continued to ask God “why me.” At the time I was severely rejecting Michael’s donor cells, and needed Angel Medflight to make a life-saving rescue, I again asked God “why me.” Today, I am fully aware and thankful for my cancer, my transplant, and even my rejection that scary day! Without cancer and transplant, I wouldn’t have needed Michael’s cells June 2006! Without severe rejection, I wouldn’t have needed Angel MedFlight’s services September 2011. Thanks to God’s bigger plan I know a man I otherwise would never have met!
Thanks to Michael’s good health, unselfishness, willingness, and compassion I am alive today and able to live a healthy life. Thanks to Angel MedFlight, I was able to meet and thank Michael in person for the gift of life!
Love and gratitude,
Lori McFate
