“No story sits by itself. Sometimes stories meet at corners and sometimes they cover one another completely, like stones beneath a river.” – "The Five People You Meet in Heaven"

Dear Anonymous Heart Transplant Donor,

I don’t know your name and I wonder if you know mine.

I am the god-daughter of the woman who received your heart.

Her name was Chasity. I remember she wore this Grateful Dead tie-dye t-shirt with the bears dancing across a log, that I loved. Together we conquered my first roller coaster. She would dance the bear cha cha cha with me from Bear and The Big Blue House. She loved the book "The Five People You Meet in Heaven" and her family even more. She was there every birthday, singing at the top of her lungs. She loved my momma's carrot cake. She brought a smile and laugh to every single life she touched. She was loving, kind and radiant. She was my very best friend and I loved her with everything in me.

Cardio Myopathy may have made her physical heart weak, but her soul was beautiful and strong.

But you never knew that. You would never know her name, her favorite cake or songs, her family or me…and we would never know yours. But we both know you chose to be a donor, and that made all of the difference.

I was young but I knew Chasity was really sick. My mom had explained to me that her heart wasn’t very strong and it wanted to quit sometimes. I had seen Chasity take a lot of little multicolored pills everyday that were suppose to help, and she wasn't able to leave her house often when she was home from the hospital. My radiant Chasity wasn't able to dance as much anymore and our roller coaster adventures came to a close. I would get scared when she would pass out but I knew everyone would rush in fear that her heart had stopped. It seemed like even after surgeries, rest, and pills, nothing could help my Chasity because her heart was just too tired. Even at 7 years old, I understood that goodbye could be coming too soon. It was all coming so fast.

But on a bittersweet October day in 2004, your story covered another completely, like stones beneath a river, and you gave us more time.

Your momentary decision, your selfless choice, and your heart gave us more time.

Now, almost twelve years later, I’m able to look back at that point in our lives with so much more clarity and I wonder about you. At 7 years old, all I understood was that Chasity’s heart wasn’t sick anymore. The doctors had fixed it with a brand new one. At my tender age, I was so overcome with joy and celebration that I couldn’t grasp the concept that you were who you were. You lived a life. You had a family. You may have danced the bear cha cha cha with some little brown eyed girl in the world and taken her on her first roller coaster. Someone lost you. Someone had to say goodbye too soon, just as I had been afraid to do. And now, almost ten years later, my heart aches in bittersweet wonder and gratitude.

The name of the national coalition for organ donation is "Donate Life" and that's exactly what you did. When you donated your heart, you did more than donate an organ. You donated second chances. You donated words that didn't need to be left unspoken. You donated new memories, laughter, and joy. You donated time. You truly donated a chance to truly appreciate this beautiful life, and not take what time is here for granted.

Chasity passed away October 30th 2007, nearly three years after her transplant. In those three years, we did almost everything on my Chasity’s bucket list. We traveled to the ocean, and the mountains, and made memories that still make me smile. We were able to dance together again, and I saw more of that Grateful Dead shirt that I loved so much. We celebrated three more birthdays. We celebrated life. We lived, because of the beautiful gift you gave us.

And even as I write this letter to you, I may cry because I miss her with everything in me, but I can’t help but to be grateful for those three years you so selflessly blessed us with. The years she had a chance to live, because of you. Not overshadowed by her sickness. No, together we made the most of every single day, with a piece of you with us.

For that I thank you. Not just for being her donor, but for teaching me of the impact I have on those around me. One choice, much like yours, could impact someone else’s life for good. One choice tied our stories together for all eternity, and you gave my Chasity a second chance. I thank you for teaching us to appreciate the time we're so graciously given, to love fearlessly, and to say what's in our heart while we have the chance.

I’m able to see the power of my choices and the beauty of life because of you, and I don’t even know your name.

So thank you, you beautiful stranger, for the precious gift of life. I have no doubt in my mind that when Chasity made it to heaven, you and your beautiful soul was there to greet her. Tell my Chasity I'll see her somewhere over the rainbow.

Sincerely,

Another stone at the bottom of your flowing river.