Apr 21, 2009 5:12 pm US/Central
Local Firefighter Rescues Woman With Special Gift
Selena Hernandez
HUDSON OAKS (CBS 11 / TXA 21) ―
Parker County Firefighters are accustomed to answering emergency calls. But one firefighter in particular is making a different kind of rescue.
"I think it's very admirable of him," Gene Smithwick of the Hudson Oaks Fire Department said.
One of his own is donating his kidney to a woman in need. Mari Deiley is battling kidney failure. Dialysis has been a constant in her life for the past 20 years.
"I do it seven nights a week; my treatments are nine hours a night," she said.
Now, it appears her days of being tethered to therapy will come to an end. The firefighter is a perfect match for Deiley. They'll undergo the exhaustive transplant surgery on May 14th.
"He made his mind up on what he was going to do," Deiley said. "Certainly I appreciate it and we're just going for it!"
Their story ignited a communty. A first-of-its-kind barbeque fundraiser is already planned in the coming weeks. It'll be held at the Parker County Posse Grounds on May 2nd.
"We're trying to offset any income or other expenses they'll acquire during this time," Smithwick said.
For Deiley, the big day can't come soon enough. She eagerly awaits her new life, grateful for a humble hero who rescued her in her time of need.
"Very excited. Sometimes I think, 'wow - what a life-change this will be.'"
Click here for more information on the barbeque.
(© MMX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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