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 | Please believe me when I tell you that, to me, your daughter is an angel. She is on my shoulders; she is like a butterfly in my garden. She is the most beautiful person I have never known, and I carry her within me. Every day...
53 Comments Posted
Such a beautiful heart warming tribute of gratitiude & love Melody. I truly hope the donor family sees this. You have done the young lady and her family proud.
Be Well...
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outstandingly beautiful..totally perfectly written.....and i,,as melody s friend am adding that.... melody too is an angel....an angel on earth who inspires us all.......
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Melody Pierson has written a beatiful and meaningful tribute to the family whose grievous loss enabled her to have new lungs and gave her a new lease on life. She expresses herself with such sincerity and humility that one knows that every day she will cherish this gift . I am sure that this letter will give the donor's parents a modicum of peace and the joy of knowing their loved one's lungs have given a whole new meaning to life for Melody Pierson and her family.
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Great..simply great!
Keep going!
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I think even the young girl who gave you her still living lungs is crying of joy in heaven. She just saved your life, and your family from losing you. Beautiful. May she rest in peace - with a beautiful smile. G-d needed HER for something more important for her situation right now, I think.
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Having been with Melodie during her waiting period for the transplant was a very difficult time .Each week as I visited I noticed her breathing was getting worse and worse.I feared for her life.I know the article that she wrote is straight from her heart and I to would like to thank this angel and her family that has saved her life. May G-d bless each and every one of you.
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Thank-you to the organ donor and her family. Most of all thanks to the One who knows all, sees all, loves us through and through and designs the fabric of our lives before we are even in our mother's wombs. There are no mistakes.
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So you, so true, so big. Know that we are all blessed by this gift.
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For anyone debating on whether or not organ donation is a good thing, this is proof that it is. What a beautiful piece of work! Your story will become part of mine when I talk about OD-- and I will say blessings for her family and her, and you. Thank you for sharing this gift on such an important topic.
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Melody, I work in Transplant; I see what all families involved go through. It gives me peace to know you are doing well and that a family was caring enough to put the pain of losing their beautiful daughter aside just for a moment so they could share the gift of life. "You’re Life”
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My parents, may they rest in peace, were very "polite" people, in the 1950's sort of "write a thank you note" way. (of course, it was a reflection of middos tovos, good character traits...) So, I very much relate to the concept of the written "thank you." Your exceptional "thank you note" to your donor' family was beautiful--inspiring, to say the least. I've never, ever read, nor can I imagine a deeper, more heart-felt "thank you." I, too, hope this young woman's parents read it, and understand everything that you meant. Imagine what a wonderful reunion you 2 will have, with Mosiach (how about today!?!)
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beautifully written and beautifully deserved The donor family can be proud that their daughter has given you [Melody} another chance to sing and live and be happy. you living with Emphseyma was not living it is a very cruel illness that never gets better only worse . This is from someone who knows both the illness and the death of a child. Be well Melody and the thanks to that family that you have been given another life to enjoy with your family.
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Baruch HaShem, (Thank G-d). I try to remember and act that we can not waste even a moment todah ravah (thank you!) to you.
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I had a kidney transplant 2 yrs ago- For the 1st yr I sent letters and cards through Lifegift to my donor family- then I heard from them and we email now- I have a picture of my donor next to my computer and I thank G-D for him and his family that made that committment at the worst possible time-
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Oh, this was so inspiring. Thank you for reminding us to be grateful for every moment - for every breath!
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As difficult as their lost is I believe they will be thankful that part of her lives on. It may be hard for them too. I have a 29 year old daughter. I guess I would wonder that if she lived would she have become as talented as you. I believe I would feel a strange combination of joy and sorrow.
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This " Letter" was my own story. My life was saved seven years ago. I have no "guts' to face the donor. Coming to the USA is G-d's gift to me. The second gift (or the other Divine Providence)is to know what Chabad is all about. I learned here about the Rebbe and the world of Chasidus. Masha , you opened a window that I did not want to open till now. Your courage , will help me to overcome the challenge of somebody's limb in my body. I see the light and joyof life everyday. Hashem, please Bring Moshiach, so no more pain and suffering. Have a long ,healthy and Nachesdike l(joyful) life. With Moshiach-Now.
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Since you wrote that traumatizing article (a few years ago) of being afraid of what's ahead, and we banded together to pray for your strength and recovery, I often worried as to what actually happened to you. How bleak it seemed then. Thank you G-d for answering our prayers!
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Dear friends,whom I know online, in person, never met, people who come to this website , for the past years, supporting and praying for me, thank you, TOO!
I believe that without your thoughts and prayers, this operation would have been so much harder. What would I have done without you all?
Every time I wrote about how I was feeling and you would respond, my strength and faith grew and grew; my heart would burst with happiness to the point where I was no longer afraid.
Your words and responses made me laugh and cry and they still do. . May Hashem grant us all good health and only nachas. I look forward to writing more about this new part of my life.
If my writing, such as it is, helps others, then I am truly grateful for what seemed to be a very trying time. I have learned a new kind of strength and just how beautiful people around this world can be.
Hashem doesn't make mistakes. Ever.
Love,
Masha
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A gift of life that means the death of someone else. A thank you is simply words but a heartfelt ones like yours is one many donors families never receive. The cycle of life and death continue and the ultimate sacrifice to give one more time of the life that once was for someone else to have life. A gift like no other certainly deserves a THANK YOU like this one. When my body no longer sustains me I want to be an organ donor so that what I have might help others, now that I no longer need it. You can't take it with you, why not give it and let it live on in another?
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Congress was passing a bill to honor organ donor families- with all the turmoil I am not sure if they officially passed it but it will acknowledge the hardest gift a family can give
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Baruch HaShem (Thank G-d). After reading your letter, I am telling to mysefl "every moment is precious, can not be wasted." Shalom
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Wow, are you a Fortunate person. to be alive with the consciousness of every breath. i just want to give you a blessing that you stay Completely Healthy, that you are able to fullfill ALL of your promises, that you have More and More tremendous Good in your life in an Open and Revealed Manner, and that you continue to inspire others to Live more Fullfilling Lives with the result that we ALL Sing and Dance in Jerusalem with the complete redemption!
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When I received my lung transplant 11 years ago, I tried to write a thank you letter and found that my words were inadequate to express my gratitude but fortunately had my son, the English major, to help me. You wrote such an heartfelt letter that I have to say it is the best I've ever read. I have been blessed with meeting my donor family and mourn with them their tragic loss. May you be blessed with good health and if it is G-d will, are able to meet the family and be a blessing to them.
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I pulled up your letter after google searching about how to thank your organ donor. My daughter was a heart valve recipient about 7 years ago now (her second). The hospital never gave us a donor card or any info but I am making it a mission of mine to get a letter to our donor family somehow this year. I plan on trying to write it and contacting cryolife. Its just that I'm having a hard time thinking of what to say. Thanks for the inspiration of your beautifully written letter. It is amazing. I wish you all the best with your new life.
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This is so precious to me as well, I can relate to this story as well. I am a Heart Transplant recipient, recieving The Gift of Life in 2002. doing so great and just doing the best I can with this life I now have. How can really one really thank a Donor and his/hers family? All I can do is dedicate my life to our most High G~d by doing acts of kindness and saying positive loving words with my breath I have. A heart filled with love from some one who is so special to G~d who resides with G~d, who was so considerate of a stranger like myself, and now a family member of mine, as well as his/hers family. There is a G~d, miracles are everywhere if one only looks and hears.Finding Judaism to be the most beautiful religion, G~d opening the heavens giving the keys of heaven to a womderful Rabbi who with all his love and precious congregation have welcomed me into Judaism, in Galveston, Texas is also, he too is my Angel. Blessed be Hashem and there is no other. Baruch Hashem. (Thank G-d) Thank You!
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I read your article with a joyous note in my heart. Joyous- to have learned that you have been blessed with new lungs, lungs donated by the family of a young woman. This true act of kindness, has not only allowed you to breathe, but has allowed their daughter to "live on" in your body and in your heart. My son Ilan, also recived a double lung transplant. Melody, may you enjoy every minute of your life. May G-D give you many many healthy and happy years to come.
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Someone had sent me this article as I am preparing to write to my donor family also. I recieved my "gift of life" of a bilateral lung transplant in March of this year. I have read many of your other articles as you went through your personal transplant journey and found it very uplifting as I was going through my own journey as well. Now you have inspired me again, giving me ideas and inspiration to write to my donor family. This is truly a difficult letter to write and I want to get it just right because this may be my only chance to relay my most deepest heartfelt appreciation. Thank you for your writings. They helped me as I waited 2 1/2 yrs. for my transplant and now as I go through recovery, I can learn from you also.
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I can fully understand what you are saying and meaning, graditude, love, life. I am a heart recipient of 2002, grateful to be alive, knowing G-d is and always have been, I too hold an Angel in my Heart filled with Love and Torah and G-d. How much I Love G-d and my donor, alive for many reasons, alive to glorify G-d and to be kind to all that pass my way. Alive to be able to say thank to all who give The Gift of Life. Like a butterfly we are, forever beautiful even in death, forever we live even after death, for an Angel passed our with great Love. I too have seen my grandchildren which I might have not be able to, because a stranger thought of me, a stranger loved me without knowing me I am able to see the most precious gifts G-d has given me, my two grandchildren, children and husband who stood beside me all through my illness and health, I too thought of my donor, truly it was so sad for me, some one had to die for me to live. Thank You
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Thank you, all of you, for your notes. My sister died a month and a half ago. She was harvested... her heart, lungs, pancreas, eyes, skin, kidneys... and more. Your letters make all the difference in the world.
I too will be an organ donor. Although I would love to touch base with those whom my sister helped, I don't know if it is right, or appropriate, or even possible.
Again... I thank you... for sharing your experience.
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I am searching for my organ donor families. Received 2 hearts in February of 2000.
Thank you.
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Thank G-d and my donor for my new life. All I know is that my donor was a young male. Doctor said before I went in that I was getting real good lungs because "he" didn't really have the time to do any damage to his lungs. I can only imagine how young this person was. Had to be heartbreaking for his family. I would love to meet them someday and I hope that is something they would want also. Only thing I don't want to do is bring them more pain. All I can do right now is say "thank you, thank you". I know their son is here with me everytime I take a breath. What a wonderful gift I was given by such a selfless family. Oh G-d be with them!
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I am a 59 year old minister & received my double-lung transplant on January 5, 2007. IMy wife & I will enjoy the priivlege of sharing a thanksgiving meal this Sat. with the family that so generously donated the lungs of their 13 year old son/brother so I could experience a reentrance into life as I once knew it. It wiill be aa very emotional visit, for sure, but also will provide a wonderful opportunity to express my heartfelt gratitude for making such an awesome gift to a compete stranger. They are as excited about our visit as we are. Thank you, Melody for your blog and the beautiful song you composed/sang about to your own donor. Blessings upon your efforts to help others thru your experience. If you have a clearer recording of your song than what is on YouTube, I would appreciate the opportunity to purchase it and have your permission to use it (this weekend if possible) to thank my donor family & my bone marrow donor of 18 years ago.
Thanks, J. Morris
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I am so happy that you got your second chance. Please email Sara Crispe and tell her to give you my email address and we can talk further.
Only "Simchas" for you and all you love.
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I received 2 heart transplants February 7 & 8, 2000 in Cleveland, Ohio. I would like to contact my donor families. I wrote to both when I was well enough following the transplants, but neither has responded. Since it is now over 10 years, I'm hoping they might welcome communication.
Of course, it is difficult to lose a family member, but I want them to know how very grateful I am for the life I have.
Today is Thanksgiving! We remember all we should be grateful for. What a wonderful life!
I hope & wish for truly wonderful lives for those who were so generous to help me 10 & a half years ago. What precious wealth we have in life.
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Your letter moved me....and reminded me of my 54 yr old cousin who had her miracle 15 yrs ago. She had a child a year after her Transplant. She put together the broken pieces of her life (she was abandoned by the father of her 2 children, homeless, not much education...) and has been continuously employed, a successful mother of 2 beautiful girls - one goes to private school. She is also deeply spiritual and does not cease to witness to people of the miracles in her life. She has always wanted to contact her donor's family. She refers to herself as "Daughter of the King (G_D)" and never wastes one minute of her life.
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Your letter is absolutely amazing. No, that's not right...there is no appropriate adjective for what it is. I have been struggling every day since my transplant to find words to express my absolute gratitude to the family of the young man who gifted me with my second chance. I have cried and labored for hours over what to write. I know I truly want to offer any potential comfort to this family, but my words are always so lacking the true feeling I am anxious to express. Your letter said so poetically what my heart is feeling. Thank you, for sharing this with all of us. I take courage in your expression, that I might soon be able to do the same. Best wishes for your continued health. And blessings to your donor and her family.
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This past October, marked 3 years living thanks to my donor, the doctors, family, friends, pharmacists, my Rabbi and his family, the community and Hashem.
There is much I want to tell you but for the moment, unfortunately, I have not heard from the donor's family. I know they have read the letter according the Transplant Association here in Quebec.
That's alright. Everyone does their own thing in their own time. They say if you do something because you had NO choice, that is Divine providence. If you, personally, have a choice, then you own that.
I believe in Hashem for all that life has to give.
May Hashem bless you and keep you to all that have gone through any physical or emotional pain. Like my Rabbi says, Kosher, Shabbos, Daven...;-)
Love,
Melody Masha
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I just found out that I might be a potential live doner for someone. I was thinking, "do I want to go through with this? I hate going under the knife." Then an update on this story showed up in my email box. I am going to help as much as I can-- G-d has other ways of taking from me what He needs if I avoid it!
Thaks for a great article, and for you praying readers, please pray for the person I may be paired with, good health for us both.
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From my heart, I believe you are doing a wonderful thing. If it is not against your doctor's advice, you will be giving someone so much more than you can imagine.
I think this is a HUGE mitzvah. I am not sure what Torah says about this, but I know that if you save a life, you save a world.
May Hashem bless you always.
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My sister was declared brain dead and we sat there waiting for the team to get to tri cities from Seattle Wa, that was the hard part. Then the hard part now is we wrote letters to the recipients and no response...she was able to donate her lungs, kidneys, eyes and skin and bones...if people do not thank the family that allowed it to happen it will not happen again...I'm thinking of changing my wishes for this reason...just because the donor is dead does not mean the family is, my sister was 39 with two young children.
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It's a very unfortunate life choice when a donors family expects a letter of appreciation and doesn't happen. The reverse happened to me. I presume they just can't deal with having a dialogue with any of the five people their daughter helped save their lives.
I, at first, felt very hurt they didn't acknowledge my letter or didn't want to meet me. However I don't believe they were in it for any thank-yous. I believe they gave of their heart to help someone and that was their thank-you...At the end of the day, saving lives and second chances are many of G-D's gifts to humanity; overcoming physical and emotional pain, giving us strength and compassion. You know you did the right thing saving these lives through your daughter. She thanks you and I do believe her recipients do, too. Maybe they are not ready to contact you and maybe my organ donor's family may never acknowledge my letter. The point is you were instrumental in saving lives and believe G-d thanks you .
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I am a Heart Transplant recipient, next January 11, 2012 I will turn 15 years thanks to that beautifull family, that donate their daughter's 5 organs. I am 53 yrs old feel great and look great have 2 grown-up kids, 27 and 20. I would like to celebrate my heart's sweet fifteen with my new family, if you help me to find them. My transplant was in Temple University Hospital in Philadelohia, PA and I live in Franklin Park,NJ
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I am a double heart transplant patient of 11.3 years. This past February, I organized a Facebook group called "Organ Transplants Across the Globe." We seek to support each other & those waiting for transplant, donor familes, live donors, and other sincerely interested caregivers. Many of us have met our donor families & most have not.
I am still seekin mine. I continue to do my best to help others along the way. We all wish to "Pay it forward."
Please feel free to check out the group on Facebook. It is an OPEN group. We have members on 3 continents already & in just 4 months, over 100 members, & growing rapidly.
Bless all of you who have been touched by a transplant experience.
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Please don't give up. There could be many reasons you have not heard from them. I have good days & bad & live alone. Sometimes it's hard to keep up with just everyday life. But it's possible the recipients never received the communication. I wrote to both my donors as soon as I was able. I had to learn to walk & talk, just like a baby & at about the same rate. There are thousands of us out here extremely grateful. Also, at worst, they may not have survived.
Please check out Organ Transplants Across the Globe on Facebook. You heart will be warmed.
Hugs to you. You gave the best gift possible. You offered another chance at life.
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Hi Judith,
I think there is a mix-up. I received a double-lung transplant about 4 years ago. A year later I wrote to the Montreal Transplant Association and included a letter to my donor's family.
This is how it is done here. The Transplant Association told me they had received it. They have chosen not to respond. Their daughter saved my live. I am now 54 with also two grown children. I will check your link. Thank you and may Hashem give you many blessings.
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Thank you for sharing this beautiful letter about a wonderful woman!! I am a daughter who has a young father of 59 yrs of age and he is waiting for a lung transplant. I hope my father is as lucky as you are, please send me and my family prayersxx sincerely Jennifer Dwyer
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I just seen my older sister's post about our baby sister, who was brain dead in tri cities we waited i believe 2 days for the team to get there from seatle to gather her organs.we know they were used and know we wrote letters and never got a responce.she was 39 with 2 children a son and a daughter who also agreed to let this transplant happen,we all agreed.I also might change my mind about being a donor we are all still greiving her death almost a year ago and still not even a simple thank you.and she donated her eyes,skin kidneys,lungs,bone.and not 1 person said thank you.this is a gift of life and knowing we helped many people we thought would make it easier but with out them 2 little words it does not
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Dearest Sandra,
Writing this letter to my organ donor family was extremely difficult. I wanted to acknowledge everything they did for me; much as you would like to receive a simply thank you for doing so very much in a time of grieving with such selflessness and compassion.
The fact that the recipient has not written does not mean they do not think of your daughter; as so many whose lives she helped and continues to help. Trust me, they think of her and your family everyday.
The recipient family (ies) may just not have found the words yet or maybe they may be afraid if you wrote back or wanted to meet them.
Donating and receiving organs are really almost one and the same. You let go of one so another can live and the one who lives on earth is constantly aware of their donors in heaven.
Give them time.
Best,
Melody.
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I feel your loss & am so sorry for you & your family. Please don't assume that the people who received your sister's precious organs aren't appreciative. They may not have survived, or could be ill, or could have been advised to wait to write. or may not know yet how to handle YOUR grief, or other reasons. Sometimes letters get lost, the doctors don't want the patients to meet. There are hundreds of reasons why you haven't heard anything. I wrote to my donor families & I was told they received my letters & chose not to respond. I was so ill I don't even recall what I wrote, but felt their grief. Try writing again. Also, you could join our transplant group on Facebook, Organ Transplants Across the Globe & communicate with all of us & maybe find your missing recipients. Friend me on facebook & I will help you. Judee Hill. I've had 2 heart transplants & forever grateful & would love to know my donor families.
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Sandra, I understand how hurt you and your family must be only because when I met my donor family they expressed their terrible hurt and pain from not hearing from the other recipients of all their son's and only child's organs; I was the recipient of both his lungs.. I tried to explain to them that back then the recipient may have not survived, some hospitals didn't allow letters, and other hospitals were not uniform with one department allowing and others not. Consequently that has become my soapbox issue and I gently but firmly tell people that they must write a thank you letter, no excuses. My donor family told me that at least hearing from me and getting to know me confirmed that they did the right thing. I do know a couple of folks who wrote letters several years later so you may yet hear from someone. You might inquire with the Organ Procurement Organization in FL and see if they have heard anything.
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My son Louis received a small bowel transplant at age two. This transplant gave me 2yrs and 4 mos with him that I surely wouldn't have had if he hadn't received one. I wrote a letter to his donor family on hopes that they would find just a little comfort that their precious 11 yr old had saved my two yr olds life and that I would spend the rest of my life keeping their child's memory alive. When my baby boy passed away it was a easy question to answer when they asked if we were going to donate organs. It has been almost 7 yrs and i spent everyday hoping that I would receive a letter letting me know that my Louie helped to save someone else's loved one. I have accepted the fact that I won't receive this wish. I think it is important though that organ donor familes receive a letter just to let them know where their loved ones organs went. That's my personal opinion. For me I know it would be comforting. In loving memory of my Louis 2-17-01--6-12-05. And in loving memory of his donor.
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Georgia,
You write a lovely tribute which brought me to tears. I received 2 hearts 12 years ago this coming week. About a year ago, I started a support group for people interested in organ donation or recipients, etc. It has grown to nearly 900 members now. I also began a group for people who are searching for their donor families or donor families searching for their recipients.
Bless you. I am so sorry for your loss & so grateful for what you have done.
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