Kathryn Bursch | WTSP 10 NEWS
Tampa, Florida - Sarah Copeland and her mother, Linda, are waiting to meet someone at a Tampa Panera Bread and, on Friday morning, the tension is building.
"Nervous. Excited," Sarah says of her emotions.
Sarah has never met the woman she's expecting, yet there's a deep connection. The scar on Sarah's chest helps explain it. "I just want to meet them and thank them for doing such a good thing," she says.
Sarah entered Tampa General Hospital in December of 2009. Her only hope for long-term survival was a heart transplant. "When I was first diagnosed, my heart just like dropped. I'm like, you can't be serious. I'm only 18."
Sarah spent months in the hospital growing weaker and scared and, finally, came news of a heart. Sarah remembers the exact moment. "5:30 in the morning," she says with a laugh.
But a heart for Sarah, for another family, means heartbreak. Sky Clark, a free spirit from Lehigh Acres, had died in a motorcycle crash. "He was 30. He was in a band," says Sarah.
Sarah wrote letters of thanks to Sky's family, but on Friday, she got to say it in person to his sister. The two women hugged each other in the restaurant, tears rolling down their faces.
Carla Dickey says her family's sorrow was immense, but donating Sky's organs helped them heal. "He saved her life and that is a blessing that doesn't come every day," she said.
And now, another blessing - Sarah brought a stethoscope to their meeting and Carla got a chance to once again hear Sky's heart. Upon hearing the steady thump, thump, Carla glanced skyward and said, "He would be smiling right now from up there."
At 24, Sarah's life now spreads before her. She wants to go tocollege. "It's a second chance at life, so I need to use it well," she said.
Once strangers, these two women are now bonded by a beat.
For more information on organ donation click here.
Tampa, Florida - Sarah Copeland and her mother, Linda, are waiting to meet someone at a Tampa Panera Bread and, on Friday morning, the tension is building.
"Nervous. Excited," Sarah says of her emotions.
Sarah has never met the woman she's expecting, yet there's a deep connection. The scar on Sarah's chest helps explain it. "I just want to meet them and thank them for doing such a good thing," she says.
Sarah entered Tampa General Hospital in December of 2009. Her only hope for long-term survival was a heart transplant. "When I was first diagnosed, my heart just like dropped. I'm like, you can't be serious. I'm only 18."
Sarah spent months in the hospital growing weaker and scared and, finally, came news of a heart. Sarah remembers the exact moment. "5:30 in the morning," she says with a laugh.
But a heart for Sarah, for another family, means heartbreak. Sky Clark, a free spirit from Lehigh Acres, had died in a motorcycle crash. "He was 30. He was in a band," says Sarah.
Sarah wrote letters of thanks to Sky's family, but on Friday, she got to say it in person to his sister. The two women hugged each other in the restaurant, tears rolling down their faces.
Carla Dickey says her family's sorrow was immense, but donating Sky's organs helped them heal. "He saved her life and that is a blessing that doesn't come every day," she said.
And now, another blessing - Sarah brought a stethoscope to their meeting and Carla got a chance to once again hear Sky's heart. Upon hearing the steady thump, thump, Carla glanced skyward and said, "He would be smiling right now from up there."
At 24, Sarah's life now spreads before her. She wants to go tocollege. "It's a second chance at life, so I need to use it well," she said.
Once strangers, these two women are now bonded by a beat.
For more information on organ donation click here.
3 COMMENTS:
This is me :D Sarah. Thanks for posting this :)
Thank you Sarah for sharing your inspiring story with us for it is these stories of giving and hope that encourages others to register as an organ, eye and tissue donor to help the over 111,000 on the transplant wait-list.
Continue your good work and let us know when you are out in the community spreading the word as we would very much like to share your endeavors with our worldwide readers.
I am glad my friend sky had a chance to help someone, one last time. He was an amazing friend. I think everyday about him. I missed a chance to see the YouTube video you made. He was one of my first true friend when I started high school. He will be missed, I know that he is smiling knowing he has helped someone
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