Hello,
What a 24hrs. I already feel like a new man. Thank you Tara Bell Smith for giving me the ultimate gift of Life. You were and are a special person. Words cannot express how grateful I am for you and your family.
God is Good!!!!!!!
Now say it out loud!!!!!
There are still signs and wonders of His miracles!!!!
When you can take an organ from one human being and place that organ in another human being to allow said human to extend his or her life in a productive fulfilled manner, that my friends is what I consider a miracle. First off I would be remised if I didn’t acknowledge the unconditional love and support from my wife Missy Pittman. She signed on at a time in my life in 2006 when I was not in the best shape health wise. At times there were days I didn’t want to go on and yet she reminded me of my WHY! My WHY? Us and our 5 kids, 3 daughters in-law and soon to be 3 grandkids. I also want to say a huge Thank You to John Zeigler, his wife Elizabeth and his kids, whom if he didn’t have it in his heart 14 years ago to donate a kidney to me, well, let’s just say I wouldn’t be here now. Thank You to Rick Dehne and his wife Tanya for their unwavering support through all the thick and thins of my life ever since we were 6 years old. No words can express how close our friendship is. Brad McNeil and his wife Rachel and Jason Curtis and his family for your Rock Solid Steadfastness of friendship I say Thank You. Thank You to Kristen Baker Hadley for creating and running the kidneyforrob.com website. Thank you to my mom a very special lady.
I really want to say Thank You to all of you who have followed my journey for a kidney transplant through the last year or more. Thank You for all the well wishes and positive thoughts and prayers sent my way. Also a very heart felt special Thank You to those who not only reached out with the thoughts and prayers but called and either wanted to get tested, tried to get tested or did get tested and for one reason or another it just didn’t work out. It really put my faith back in human giving and in the reason why we are given free will by the Lord. Extended family Old team mates old classmates both high school and college. Past students and past faculty. Just Everyone! Thank You! You know who you are, Thank You again from the bottom of my heart.
I am saying all of this because since the summer a very special person in my life felt stirred in her heart that she too wanted to get tested to see if she was a viable candidate for donation. Her “What can I do” mindset set in motion the miracle that is to be. Thusly I want to announce I will be receiving a Kidney from Tara Bell Smith on Thursday November 21st 2024. She is married to my first cousin Derek Smith and the both of them are in the business of giving. If it’s not their time and efforts for other families in their circle. It’s the time given to their 3 children and many others in their community and around the world. Please reach out to them with your prayers and love while we set to task this Miracle of life. I am so thankful for Tara. It’s amazing why God puts people in your life and sometimes not knowing the complete picture why. She is the ultimate human being.
So I again ask if you have it in you to get tested for someone. Reach out to kidneyforrob.com and all the info you need is there. You can find out how to donate to someone you love or just someone in need. Our pre op testing is complete and I just want to say Thank You again to all who have followed and have an invested interest. Let the miracle begin!! Below is Tara, Derek, my wife Missy and myself the day Tara and I took our final blood test at St John’s Hospital in Tulsa.
