Letters From Grandpa #331

LETTERS FROM GRANDPA

• 331

Dearest grandchild,

Today’s letter will tell the story of Michelle Schmitt. She is known as the “Louisville Snow Baby”. Michelle was born with a liver defect called “biliary atresia”. She weighed 9 pounds at birth, 10 pounds at six months, but only11 pounds when she was two. The backed up residue in her blood stream made her skin crawl as if she were covered with thousands of stinging ants. Her bones were so brittle that she once broke her collar bone simply by rolling over in bed. She was force fed by a tube down her throat, and was constantly nauseous. She never smiled, and never spoke a word.

Michelle’s sister, Ashley, had the same dreaded disease and had already received a liver transplant. Sadly, their mother, Teresa, died suddenly on Aug. 16, 1992 of a rare respiratory illness known as Wagner’s Disease. Her father, Edward, was working three jobs trying to pay their medical bills.

On Christmas day 1992, Michelle began “free bleeding” from her nose, ears, and mouth. A complete liver shutdown was imminent and Michelle was given only a few weeks to live. On Jan. 1st

she was placed at the very top of the University of Nebraska transplant list.

On Jan. 17th at 8:45 a.m., Omaha called to inform them that a liver was available. Louisville, however, had been hit by a blizzard and was blanketed by 17 inches of ice and snow. With many prayers to God the family began making plans for the marathon journey to Nebraska to save Michelle’s life. The mayor’s office was called to get a runway cleared at the airport. WHAS radio covered the story on the air and even provided a four wheel drive vehicle to navigate through the snow. Jason Patterson, pilot for PACO Air, was notified to preflight their jet plane and stand by.

Teresa Amshoff was washing dishes when she heard the story unfolding over the radio. Outside of her window she saw the spacious parking lot of the Southeast Christian Church. She phoned the radio station and suggested that the four wheel drive vehicle rendezvous with a helicopter on that parking lot. When the radio station announced this 350 volunteers showed up with shovels to help clear a place for the chopper to land.. The rendezvous was successful and Michelle was whisked away to the airport. The airport, however, was still closed and 6 inches of ice and snow remained on the active runway. With the help of God and a skilled pilot the take off was successful.

The landing at Omaha also required divine intervention. High winds and a treacherous wind sheer caused the tower to recommend an alternate airport. Patterson explained the life and death situation and was cleared for a bumpy but safe landing. Michelle was taken to surgery at 9 p.m. and the surgery lasted until 5 a.m. the next morning. The surgeon said he had never seen such a perfect match for a transplant. The blood, the tissue, and everything else was absolutely perfect. Twenty five years later Matthew Glowicki wrote in the Courier Journal (Jan. 16th, 2019) that Michelle Schmitt was doing fine. She was then 28 years old, married to David Cobble Jr., and was also a graduate of Spalding University. Both Michelle and her sister Ashley were baptized into Christ at the Southeast Christian Church in Louisville. Both had kidney transplants in 2011 as medications had destroyed their kidneys. We thank God for their present health and pray for their future.

But as Paul Harvey would say, the “rest of the story” involves the 7 year old Kansas boy whose liver was donated to keep Michelle alive. His name was Brian Friesen. Though the names of donors

and recipients aren’t normally exchanged, Brian’s grandmother followed Michelle’s story on radio and TV and figured it all out. The two families came in contact with one another and still remain close.

It seems that Brian had a premonition of his death. He was a very godly young man and even wanted to be a preacher. He once asked his Sunday School teacher so many questions about God, angels, and heaven that she called upon the preacher for help. Though Brian seemed to be in good health a blood vessel burst in his brain and be never regained conscientiousness. It was his untimely death that provided life for Michelle Schmitt.

After Brian died his parents began to find strange notes scattered throughout the house. The first read: “I love you all and Jesus does too. Hope you have a good time. Brian”. Similar messages were found in cabinets, drawers, and even in shoes. One message read: “Mommy, I love you! Brian”. Another: “Jesse, I love you and mommy and daddy, love Brian”.

When the family decided to get away for a few days they found another poignant message in their suitcase. Brian had drawn an amazing picture of trees, a little kid, and a grave with a cross on it.

While we may not understand every aspect of this unusual story, we can be absolutely certain that God was involved. Jesus said: “Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? Yet not one of them is forgotten by God. Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Don’t be afraid, you are worth more than many sparrows” (Lk. 12:6-7).

Remember! “Our present sufferings are not worthy comparing with the glory that shall be revealed in us” (Rom. 8:18). Also remember that: “We know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose” (Rom. 8:28).

I love you

Grandpa Boyce