Teachers are some of the hardest working people out there.
They’re incredibly important to preparing kids for the future, but they don’t get the hype (or pay) they truly deserve.
They’re not just educators. They’re role models, trusted confidants and advisors for younger generations. And in some cases, they’re the most reliable person in a child’s life.
Every now and then, a truly incredible story will emerge about a teacher going above and beyond for their students.
And I can safely say that 54-year-old Nancy Bleur tops of the list of “above and beyond.”
This dedicated kindergarten teacher from Iowa didn’t just offer after-school tutoring lessons or make her students personalized birthday cards.
Nancy is passionate about her job and the wellbeing of every single of her students. She often goes out of her way to make them smile.
One day, Nancy noticed one of her 4-year-old students, Camden, was acting a bit unusual.
She pulled him aside to see what was going on, and like most 4-year-olds, he spoke candidly. He talked with Nancy about his father.
What he told her broke her heart.
He said his father, 34-year-old Darreld Petersen, was very sick. He said he looked so sick that it scared Camden him whenever he saw him.
From what we said, Nancy knew it was bad, but like most 4-year-olds, Camden didn’t know the details. All he knew is that he was scared for his father.
Nancy had a gut feeling that she needed to help. She called Camden’s father to speak to him about the illness, and find out how bad it really was.
And unfortunately, it was pretty bad.
Darreld spoke with Nancy openly about the state of his kidneys. They were only functioning at about 20%, and the dialysis his doctor prescribed as a remedy took an even bigger toll on his health.
CKD is classified based on the estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) of your kidneys and the level of proteinuria in your urine. #worldkidneyday pic.twitter.com/XehGJ8euEu
— World Kidney Day (@worldkidneyday) August 24, 2020
Nancy couldn’t imagine what it must feel like for Camden to be afraid of his own father. So she decided she had to do whatever was necessary to help their family.
Most people would offer to help take care of the child while the rest of the family looked after Darreld. Maybe do some chores, cook some meals and help take some of the load off.
But Nancy had bigger plans.
Nancy offered an incredible gift, something extraordinary.
She offered Camden’s father one of her kidneys.
She didn’t hesitate, and just wanted to do whatever was necessary to help Camden grow up with a healthy and present father.
Her only obligation as a teacher is to educate her students, but instead she took it upon herself to save a life.
“I remembered on my bucket list that I wanted to do this […] I just remembered oh yeah, that’s on the list.”
But not just anyone can donate a kidney to someone else. The kidneys and blood types have to be a match, and people often wait around 3-5 years in the United States, hoping for that match.
So she went to the doctor to consult on whether she’d be able to help.
By some miracle, Nancy’s kidney happened to be a perfect match for Darreld.
“I was really excited about it. I was ecstatic. I don’t know what I would’ve done for closure if I wasn’t [a match],” she said.
In response to Nancy’s offer, Darreld was understandably blown away.
How did his son’s kindergarten teacher suddenly become the woman who was ready to save his life?
“It’s just amazing. There are people waiting every day for a kidney, for an organ in general. I wish there were more people like her. She’s giving me a second chance at life,” Darreld told ABC News.
Thanks to Nancy Bleur, Camden is going to grow up with a healthy father.
And it’s all thanks to a teacher with a big heart… and two healthy kidneys!
What an incredible act of kindness.
The kidney transplant was successful and both Nancy and Darreld made a full recovery.
Watch an interview with them both by clicking below!
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