Search Articles:

 

Breaking News......... Osprey beat Chukars 9-6......... BREAKING NEWS: Railroad ties start wildfire west of Missoula this afternoon......... LEMONADE! Missoula children sell lemonade at stands throughout town as fundraiser for children's shelter......... Wife, infant daughter of Butte Marine killed in car crash while he's at basic training......... Local News......... Downtown Missoula building will be tall and eco-friendly........Officials swamped with applications for concealed weapon permits........Schweitzer accused of political cronyism by appointing Democrats to state positions........GOP, Dems spar over Noonan appointment........Crash course: No surprise - Reserve Street has most wrecks in county........Schweitzer: ‘Damn right I'm mad' at GM........

SUMMARY: Recent stories a reminder of generosity of western Montanans

We have been reminded in recent weeks of the remarkable generosity of spirit that lives among us here in western Montana.

First came the story of the Smith and Baum families, who quite literally gave one another the gift of life. If you remember, both Jason Baum and Gary Smith needed kidney transplants. Both had a brother willing to donate one of his healthy kidneys; problem was, neither was a “match” for his brother.

Through a long and exceptionally complicated series of events, the Smith and Baum families wound up sitting together in a hospital waiting room last month as the brothers swapped kidneys - healthy Baum brother to ailing Smith brother, healthy Smith brother to ailing Baum brother. Everyone emerged from surgery healthy and happy, and ever grateful for having found one another.

Along the way, they met other patients in need of kidney transplants and inspired other healthy western Montanans to voluntarily donate one of their kidneys to someone in need. One of those transplants is set to take place later this month. Dozens of others are in the

early stages of matching donor with patient.

Their story, it seems, tapped into a well of generosity and grace that seems bottomless in our modest corner of the world. Just think about it: We live in a place where people are willing to give an invaluable and essential organ - a kidney - to a complete stranger.

There is a need, and someone steps forward to meet that need, asking for nothing in return.

We felt that same spirit in last week's story about young Barry Simon, a Missoula boy who spent the last year-plus in Seattle battling Fanconi anemia, a rare and often fatal blood disease.

Knowing nothing more than that he was struggling and in need of their love and support, people from throughout western Montana sent Barry thousands of cards and letters in the past 14 months.

All his mom had to do was to say - once - in a Missoulian story that Barry would enjoy receiving mail and the flood began. Remarkably, it never subsided.

Again and again, as he battled infections and rejections, Barry stood at death's door but did not cross the threshold. Again and again, his spirits were buoyed by the words of encouragement that arrived with each day's mail.

Now Barry is coming back to Missoula, at least for a while. And he has one more request.

Barry Simon wants to meet the people who wrote him all those letters. Who held onto him all those months. Who saved his life.

---

---

Add your comment now! Write your comment in the form below.
(Email address is for verification only. If you'd like to email a story, look for the link above)

---