Sept. 21, 2014
Where do I start? For a full year, the sentences have been running through our minds – what to say when we meet and what to write so as to make it perfectly clear that we feel we owe you the life of our dearest loved one.
They say that “One who saves a single Jewish life, it is as if he saved an entire world.” Who can vouch for the truth of this statement more than we can? With your bone marrow donation, you saved our son, and in doing so, saved us as well – an entire family.
As parents, there is nothing more painful than knowing your child’s life is in danger, while you, the parents who brought him into the world, are helpless to save him. 
It is a feeling of indescribable despair… But in the depth of our despair, the news came that a donor was located who is a perfect match! From the moment they told us there is a donor, we breathed a sigh of relief and believed with all our heart that an angel sent you to us.
Because of the relatively short period of time that has elapsed since the transplant, we feel that it is too difficult for us to meet you in person. We are still deep into the recovery process. We ask your forgiveness and your patience – we will be very happy if you would like to meet at a later point.
Right now, a year after the transplant and at the onset of the New Year, it was important to us for you to know that we thank you every day, every hour, every minute, and every second of our lives. Our son has already been off medication for a month, and this could never have happened without you!!
Since we “met” you – in the guise of a bag of your bone marrow donation hanging on an IV stand – you have been a part of us. Ever since Sunday, July 21st, 2013 at 8 in the evening, in an isolation unit at Tel Hashomer, our eyes were raised to that bag, full of hope and optimism that from this point, we would set off on a new path. Holding our son’s hand, while looking intermittently at our little nestling and at “you” (the bag of bone marrow), for fifteen minutes, we prayed hard, emotional and dazed by the thought that our child’s life is hanging on this stand and dripping into him…The next day, Monday, July 22nd, 2013, at 10 in the morning, our little boy received his second portion of the donation, and as far as we’re concerned, from this moment, he was reborn.
For more than 400 days, you have been with us, a part of our family. Even though we never met, and aside from the fact that you are a 27-year-old male, we have no further information about you, we feel that we know you well.
From your willingness to donate, we know that you have a huge soul, a great, big, caring heart, and incomparable sensitivity to the pain of others. It is clear to us that you are a true friend! From the strength you infused in our son, we guess that you are an energetic young man who likes to enjoy himself and live life to the fullest.
Your Ima and Abba were blessed with an amazing son who was privileged to give life to another amazing son—ours. I won’t bore you by telling you everything that we, as a family, went through over the past three years, from the time he was diagnosed with the illness. I prefer to focus on the here and now, looking forward, with the hope that your donation sowed in our heart- the hope that things will be different from now on.
Our son recently celebrated his 12th summer. We celebrated a double birthday – on July 22nd, the first anniversary of the transplant, and another celebration on August 22nd, his official birthday… and at each one of the birthdays, you were with us and in our hearts.
We assume that you, too, are curious to know who the recipient of your donation is. So allow me to introduce my son: Satiny hair, inquisitive green eyes, a remarkable smile, intelligent, a good sport, with street smarts, inner strength and an optimistic view of life.
A half year ago (after three years of treatments), our son went back to school and graduated elementary school together with his friends. He was accepted to an honor class in the School for Science. He likes to play X-Box, football, hang out with his friends, use roller blades and skateboards. He is curious about everything that has to do with technology and science, likes sport shoes and especially sneakers, and has very unique taste in clothing – and in general, is simply one of a kind!!!
We would be happy to get to know you, too. We are curious: What do you do? What are your hobbies? What foods do you like to eat? Do you play music? What is your taste in music? Do you engage in sports?… All the time, I try to notice if our son changed in some way, because they say that the recipient is often influenced by the donor. Meanwhile, I haven’t picked up any differences, so apparently you must be very similar to each other.
In August, the Ezer Mizion website posted pictures of July’s donors and we placed bets on which one of them is you… I also wrote a letter on their Facebook page, without identifying information, in the hope that you will understand that it’s from us.
Since our son’s illness, we don’t take anything for granted. Every day of health is better than winning the lottery!
We are thankful for every good day that passes, praying that the next day will also be like that, and taking each one with cautious optimism.
The theme of this year was “Back to Life.” Our son regained color in his cheeks, air to breathe, energy to play. Finally, he can go back and do all the things he loves and that he could not do for so long, like riding his bike, roller skating, skateboarding, roller surfing, running, horseback riding, carting, swimming, climbing walls, and more – simply being a kid, like all the other kids.
And so, in the atmosphere of the New Year, we want to wish you a good, sweet, and healthy year!!! A year in which your dreams come true and you know abundance and tranquility. May giving always be a part of your life and accompany you in your path.
Thank you from all our heart!
Your new relatives,
The parents, the “star of the show,” and his siblings
Genetic testing sponsored by Mexico Community Donor Pool
