MURFREESBORO, Tenn. (WTVF) — We're big believers in doing follow-up stories. This particular one dates back 20 years. It was then a family's journey began.
It's been a very long time since Amanda Carver has seen a NewsChannel 5 story from 2006. It was then she spoke to the station at Monroe Carell Jr. Children's Hospital at Vanderbilt. Her son, 18-month-old Noah Perry, arrived after an E. coli infection.
"Never thought you'd miss your child crying cause you thought it would always be there," Amanda said in the 2006 clip. "He does look better. He looks better than he did this morning even."
"The doctor came in and said, 'listen, we're probably going to see him go down to zero kidney function,'" Amanda said, remembering the experience 20 years ago. "We started peritoneal dialysis. Shortly after that, he perforated his colon. He coded, stopped breathing a couple of times and probably the hardest thing I've ever done is sign DNR papers on my kid."
DNR means do not resuscitate. It was just after that hardest day, Noah's story started to change.
"He was happy even though he was so sick," Amanda said, flipping through pictures in a photo album.
"There's his doctor! Doctor Hunley!" she smiled.
"This is one of my favorites here," Amanda continued, holding up the photo album. "He's walking down the hallway for the first time. He just smiles so big, though he was dealing with so much."
It's been 20 years. Noah had been living on dialysis for two-and-a-half years when he got a call from Vanderbilt Health. He was going to have a kidney transplant and receive two infant kidneys from a child. Now, as is always the case in these situations, Amanda doesn't know anything about the donor's family. Still, she wants to tell them something.
"I would say to that mom and dad, you have given my son a chance at life that he might not have ever otherwise been able to have," Amanda said. "I'm forever grateful to those people."
The transplant surgery has been a success. It feels like the end of a chapter that started 20 years ago for Amanda and Noah.
"I only have the vaguest memory of laying in a child-sized bed in the hospital, and it was one of my very, very earliest memories," Noah said. "I don't remember anything other than that."
Just like his mom, Noah has a message for his donor's family.
"I want to tell them that I love them, and that's it," he nodded. "I love them. They gave me life."
Noah's ready to start building his future. Actually, he's been playing punk rock shows.
"Your mom ever been to one of your punk shows?" I asked Noah.
"She has!"
"In the mosh pit?"
"She stood in the corner about the whole time!"
That's not Noah's only interest.
Most of his friends know Noah as Dock. He's taken the name after his favorite banjo player, Dock Boggs.
"I love the sound of the banjo," he said. "I feel like it gave me a voice."
"It's not everyday you find the banjo player in a punk show!" Amanda laughed. "It's a journey full of sadness, and we're finally able to close it with joy. That is what makes me so happy. He has a chance at a normal life, and that is a big deal. I want to see him spread his wings and fly. He is an a musician and an artist, and I'm ready to see what he's made of."
"I have a lot more energy," Noah added. "My friends tell me I stand a lot taller."
"I would encourage anybody to be an organ donor," Amanda said. "You really don't know what you can do to change someone's life."
Do you have a positive, good news story? You can email me at forrest.sanders@newschannel5.com.
Austin Pollack brings us an update on a remarkable young man facing great odds, and his family has one simple request: pray for Cole. I believe in the power of prayer and hope you'll join me in lifting up Cole and his family.
- Carrie Sharp
