On a daily basis we all talk about how things are going so wrong, from the economy to education to the blatant evil we see happening everywhere. On May 21, in Mason City, Nebraska, a town with a population of 147, there were just short of 400 people who came to show how good things still are.
Sixteen-year-old Jacob Hoblyn-Bittner was born with a condition that meant at some point he would be on a dialysis machine or need a kidney transplant. That time has arrived. His mother Donna went to social media asking if anyone might be willing to donate a kidney. Andy Gibbons from Ansley, Nebraska, a neighboring town, was one of the individuals who reached out and turned out to be complete match.
I might inject here that Mayo Clinic, at bit.ly/3MxusyU, reports that:
“More than 100,000 people in the U.S. are waiting for an organ transplant.
Sadly, many may never get the call saying that a donor organ has been found. Many may not get that second chance at life. Every day in the U.S., about 17 people die because there aren’t enough donor organs for all who wait for a transplant.”
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention at cdc.gov/transplantsafety/overview/key-facts.html says, “On any given day there are around 100,000 people on the active waiting list for organs, but only approximately 14,000 deceased organ donors in 2021, with each providing on average 3.5 organs. Living donors provide on average only around 6,000 organs per year.”
The surgery is taking place before Memorial Day. I had the great opportunity to visit with both Jacob and Andy on camera for my Trent on the Loos program. Ironically, as I walked into the Mason City community hall, Aaron Epley was right in front of me. I overheard him say, “I have had four organ transplants and doing great.” He and Jacob had time to visit and obviously it helped Jacob’s peace of mind.
I think we all know we are headed into an era when community will be as important as it was in the days this country was settled.
I must give a huge shout out to Andy Gibbons who has stepped up to the plate and volunteered to give a kidney. Andy is very clear about how he does not want any recognition for the feat but rather to serve as inspiration for others to help people around you when you can.
Most of what you are hearing today is simply a plan to put this nation and world into chaos. The truth of the matter is that 99% of the citizens of this country are just as good as we have ever been. I say it is time we seek out these endeavors in every community all across the country.
Editor’s note: The views expressed here are the author’s own and do not represent the views of High Plains Journal. Trent Loos is a sixth generation United States farmer, host of the daily radio show, Loos Tales, and founder of Faces of Agriculture, a non-profit organization putting the human element back into the production of food. Get more information at www.LoosTales.com, or email Trent at [email protected].