Strength

Two Fridays ago, my volunteer fire department ran a call. A bad wreck left a 16 year old girl seriously injured. We ended up flying her to the closest trauma center. Typically, we never find out anything about the people we help, and in that sense, there is no closure. We just continue to wonder. But this one was different... We received updates throughout the week. Mainly, that she was still in critical condition. I asked Dawn to stop by and she did on Wednesday. The girl was still alive and still in critical condition. I decided to go by on Friday. As I came to her area, I passed a lady that I knew from home. She pulled me aside and let me know that they had declared the girl brain dead. The girl was an organ donor and the family wanted to honor her wishes, so she was slated for the organ donation process later that evening. The family's pastor was there also and I knew him. He escorted me back to the room because the family had stepped out. I was able to spend a little time with the girl. It's rare I weep for a patient of mine, but I really couldn't help it. You hope and you pray... but sometimes God has different plans. As I was about to leave, the father came up and I was introduced. He was talking with the organ donation counselor and I admired him for his strength and attitude. He knew his only child was in a better place and he wanted nothing more than for God to be praised. He wanted someone to be able to benefit from his tragedy. He knew that at least six other families may be able to come to know God through his daughter. He even thanked me for what we did. He said we gave him one more week to be with his little girl. I can only hope I would think and act this way.

Rest in Peace Mackenzie Lee Moffitt.