Family Pays It Forward After Receiving Transplant Gift

By DENISE YOST  | NBC4i





COLUMBUS, OHIO How far are you willing to go for a stranger? Would you be willing to donate an organ?

It's a story that has more twists and turns than a Hollywood movie but it's a real story with real feelings.

It's an example of how a social networking Web site and an organ donation changed the lives of several people – but that's just part of the story.

A reception at the Ohio State University Medical Center involves a local family, where one of its members had an organ transplant nearly one year ago.

Jason Rubenstein is the recipient of a kidney donation and attended the event, but it also involved a check presentation by his son Bobby.

Bobby, 10, donated all of his allowance and extra money he earned by doing odd jobs to the OSU Medical Center. In all, his donation totaled $86.90.

"As far as I'm concerned, it's one of the biggest gifts we've had this year because it comes from his heart," said Dr. Mitch Henry, professor of surgery at OSUMC. "If we can take that energy and that emotion...and expand it, we can do a lot of things."

Bobby had plans to spend his money on baseball cards, but he was looking at the bigger picture.

"I wanted to give here 'cause they saved dad's life," he said.

"It's just made me really, really proud of him and what he's learned and accomplished and also it makes me feel good that I'm his dad, like I'm having a good positive impact on my son," Jason said. "So I can't really put into words how I feel, how proud of him I'm feeling."

Bobby's generosity is just part of the story.

Before Jason's transplant, there was a long wait for a matching kidney. So his wife Amanda wanted to be proactive. So she requested a kidney donation on Facebook.

"Within a day, Nick responded and said he would like to get tested," Jason said.

Nick Bucnis is a Facebook and grade-school friend of Amanda. He had never met Jason before the request.

"As soon as I got the go ahead from my doctors at the VA for it, I just messaged her on Facebook and said, 'Let's do it,'" Nick said.

He had no second thoughts and showed no hesitation.

Why did he offer the gift of life to someone he didn't know?

"When people are faced with situations such as this, they tend to feel pretty uncomfortable and it's not a really good feeling and they would rather avoid it, instead of meeting it head on," Nick said.

It's because of Nick's unselfish act that the family can celebrate another year of life and look at the future with optimism.

"Life and health are the most precious things we have and to be able to give somebody another chance at life, I think it's just immeasurable," Jason said.

"If someone needs help, do all you can to help them, no matter how small or large the situation is, I believe we're all placed on this earth to help one another and the only way to do it is just to do it. Don't think about it or second guess yourself," Nick said.

But the good news doesn't stop there.
Bobby and his two siblings were foster children of Jason and Amanda, but they are now a complete family. The adoptions of all three children are now official.