We owe a great deal of appreciation to our teachers for everything they do. One Wisconsin teacher even went up and beyond when she gave a student a life-saving gift, which she presented in a big pink box.
Jodi Schmidt is a teacher at Oakfield Elementary. While she knows many students, there was one in particular that warmed her heart.
Eight-year-old Natasha Fuller (Tasha) would stop to wave at Schmidt going by her classroom, and happily greet her in the halls. But she was also suffering through more than any child should have to.
Tasha had been born with prune belly syndrome and needed kidney dialysis. According to the FDL Reporter, she moved in with her grandparents so she could receive specialized care from Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin. Her parents and sister were residing in Oklahoma.
They were desperately waiting for a new kidney.
Mrs. Schmidt knew of Tasha’s situation and decided to get herself tested to see if she’d be a match. Turns out, she was! After speaking with her own family – she concluded that she wanted to donate one of her kidneys to the first-grader.
It was going to be a surprise.
Mrs. Schmidt and the school’s principal, Becky Doyle, came up with a special way to present the good news to Tasha and her grandmother. They wrote a message on a piece of paper and placed it inside of a pink gift box. Then, they made a call to the grandma and asked her to come by.
She had no clue what was about to take place.
Tasha’s grandma thought the meeting was possibly about her granddaughter doing something “naughty.” But that was far from the case. In the video, Schmidt passes the box to the woman, saying, “I wanted to give you a gift for how hard you work.”
It’s a reaction you might need a tissue for.
When Tasha’s grandmother reads the note inside the box, she’s immediately shocked and bursts into tears. For years they’d been waiting for a kidney – so it’s a moment they’d been praying for. The words on the paper said, “It’s a match.”
The pair embrace and neither of them can control their tears.
Someone else needed to hear the amazing news…
After filling the grandma in on some of the details, they invite Tasha inside of the room. She’s then given the big pink box too.
Tasha discovers what her gift is.
Although the child doesn’t understand the message at first, she’s overly grateful to Schmidt and gives her a big hug. The teacher then explains the meaning to her a little more – and she goes in for another hug. It’s heartwarming beyond belief!
The emotional video and story went viral. A couple of months later, there was an incredible update.
Tasha officially became the recipient of Schmidt’s kidney. After the successful transplant, Children’s Wisconsin shared a statement from the family on Facebook.
“Thanks to Jodi’s amazing gift and support of her family, we are with Tasha as she recovers and gets stronger after the transplant. Her doctors at Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin say that everything went well and that we could not have asked for a better organ. We are so grateful for the outpouring of support our family has received, particularly from Oakfield Elementary staff and students, along with her friends and family in Grandfield, Oklahoma. Tasha looks forward to seeing you all as soon as she can.”
https://www.facebook.com/childrenswi/photos/a.294044080619844/1178933908797519/?type=3
It’s a selfless gift that will never be forgotten. You can watch the tear-jerking video for yourself below!
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