MIRACLE STORIES - Newborn Gets Double Lung Transplant

I was born February 13, 1995 and when I was born, I had a problem breathing. The nurses didn’t know what was wrong. They did tests and a lawyer in Utah said he read an article in the newspaper about this rare thing. My birth or biological mom and dad both had recessive genes so they collided and made a glitch. The nurses tested my blood twice and confirmed that I had the rare thing. I was dying fast.

So they said they could either do surgery or put me down. My adoptive mom and dad said they weren’t giving up. So they called every doctor in every state until they found one that knew what to do. They talked to the doctor in Maryland on the phone to see what they could do. The doctor said he had heard of it and the babies who had it got lung transplants.

And that’s what happened. They rushed me from St. George, Utah to Los Angeles, California and got me to Children’s Hospital Los Angeles. There is when Dr. Starns did surgery… a double lung transplant. The lung donor was from a baby who got crushed in a car accident. His heart went to another baby. When they say that the baby who was in the car accident is not alive.. it’s not true… he’s alive.. inside me. I’m still alive today and I’m a happy 14 year old. They said I wasn’t going to make it till kindergarten… but they were wrong… I lived.

I don’t remember having the surgery or being born but I know that wherever I go, God is always with me no matter what. He’s always helping me whenever I’m right or wrong. I’m very lucky and I’m lucky to have great parents. My birth or biological parents couldn’t keep me because they were too young, but they chose my adoptive parents and I’m glad they chose them. Just being alive is my miracle.

This story was submitted by “T.W.” from CA.