Jason’s Letter

Jason’s Letter of Thanks

Jason and Mistie are brother and sister and best friends. After Jason received a cornea transplant, he asked his sister to help him write a letter to his eye donor’s family to thank them for their selfless gift.

Jason and Mistie chose to share their letter with Saving Sight to highlight the life-changing impact eye donation has had for Jason and to thank all eye donors and their families for helping others in their time of grief.

Dear Donor Family:                                                                                                                                          

I am the recipient of a cornea from your loved one. I am having my sister write for me as I don’t write too well. I want to thank you for helping me see again. I am 38 years old and had developed a condition that alters the shape of my cornea. At the time of my transplant, the cornea in my left eye was the shape of a football and I could no longer see even the big E on the eye chart. I had severe headaches due to the eyestrain because of this. I was told that I would go blind because I have the same condition in both eyes. I was having trouble reading, was bumping into things and could not even watch my favorite sports teams play their sports.

Now a little past a month past surgery, I can see!! My vision continues to improve daily and now both eye are equal in vision. I can read the fifth line on the eye chart unassisted. When I went back to the doctor they day after surgery, I was so excited to be able to see. I looked at my sister and mom and exclaimed, “I can see!!” then had to read the line for the doctor. No more headaches, I can watch my baseball games and see to read my books. Every day I am seeing more and smaller things.

While I know that the loss of someone was necessary for me to see, I am thankful. I am sad for your loss and I pray for your family’s comfort. I want you to know that to be given this gift means so much to me. You have given me my life of sports and books back. For that you will have my eternal gratitude.

May God bless and comfort you,

Jason

From Jason’s Sister:

Dear Donor Family,

My brother Jason is very special to me. He and I are 14 months apart and he was my first playmate, my best friend, and even partner in crime growing up. You gift means so much more to my family because he is one of God’s special children. Jason may be an adult but he has the mind and heart of a child. He will never grow up.

Jason has the most loving heart I have ever met. I have seen him be bullied and immediately after he heals, he goes up to the tormentors and offers them friendship. While Jason may not change the world through a career, he changes it by being himself. Jason always sees the good in everyone. He is quick to forgive and no one is a stranger. Most importantly he not only shares his faith in God, he lives it.

Jason loves all sports. When asked what is his favorite, he can tell you that it is ______ season and his favorite team is _______ and what their record is. Then tell you that they play _____ tonight … and it continues.

When I heard about Jason’s eyes, I was saddened because it would mean that he one day would be blind. He struggled so much to learn to read. He finally succeeded at the age of 13. Mom and I used Archie comic books to encourage him and reward him for every new thing he read. As he discovered the written word, I would hear “Sissy what’s this word?” “Sissy read to me.”

When Mom approached Jason about writing you and what it meant, he broke down into tears. He hated the idea that someone had to die for him to get the transplant. Then he immediately asked me, “Sissy can you pray for them with me?” I have no doubt he remembers your family in his prayers daily, that is just the way my big brother is.

He told me what he wanted to say in his letter and asked me to write it. While his letter is in my hand, it comes from his heart.

My prayer is that these letters offer you some comfort and peace in your decision to donate your loved one’s organs. Please know that the gift you have bestowed on us will never be taken for granted, no did it go to someone more special. I know that my brother may not be considered worthy of such a gift because of his being mentally handicapped but we are so blessed by it. In closing, your loved one must have been a very special person because he/she has to be in order to view the world through such a special eye.

May God continue to hold you in his hand,

Mistie (Jason’s Sister)