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Well, my name is Brian Hinesley,
I work for the Los Angeles County Fire Department, I'm a
fireman paramedic.
About nine years ago I got diagnosed with some kind
of internal disease which has been pinpointed
to autoimmune hepatitis and has caused my liver to fail.
He has been home sick for two years,
so he's been, um, getting worse and worse every day,
When somebody needs a liver transplant, uh, they need one
because their liver has failed.
And when the liver fails,
the kidneys fail very soon thereafter,
and liver failure can also result in heart damage.
And by and large, a successful transplant will right it all.
My daughter, she is only three years old,
I get to spend very little good quality time with her.
She's always saying "Daddy talk to me" and um,
he doesn't have it in him to do that.
She misses him.
If more people were aware, the wait would not be this long.
That's why he's waiting, because not enough people are donating.
We never thought it would be like this.
This long of a wait.
This sick, that you have to be at death's door.
Brian finally receives word that an organ has become available.
As he arrives at the hospital, Kim believes
that this could be the beginning of a new life
for Brian and their family.
Brian? Hi! 30 00:01:40.05 --> 00:01:45:17 Gosh, we waited a long time for this. 31 00:01:45:17 --> 00:01:48.61 Hey, how are you doing?
Now, you know everything, hopefully, will go.
Hopefully will be over soon.
After a four hour wait, Brian is notified
that the liver is unsuitable for transplant.
Did you hear the lady?
Yeah. What did she say?
What, are you kidding?
What did she say?
Just that it wasn't good to go I'm so sorry.
I'm so sorry.
He has been waiting a very, very long time.
Right now, unfortunately, the wait for people
with his blood type is so long,
because there aren't enough organ donors.
I used to get real upbeat that it was going to happen,
but now until I'm actually on my back, and they are going
to cut me open, I'll believe them.
Three weeks after his failed liver transplant,
Brian receives a call that a liver has become available.
This is the third time now that they have called
and said they've got a liver for me.
We've got a very good organ for him, it's the same blood type,
it should be a good match in regards to size.
He should do very well,
he should completely return back to a normal life.
How are ya?
I'm Kim, his wife.
Hi Kim, yes, how are you?
Everything went very, very well.
It was about this big, and a normal liver is about that big.
Wow. Three days after surgery,
Brian shows dramatic improvement.
I feel like a new person, and I wake up every morning
with a smile on my face.
I feel wonderful.
Six months after his transplant, Brian and Kim throw a party
to celebrate his return to a normal life.
If somebody doesn't donate their organ, I am not here today.
It's a miracle.
I have my wife now, my daughter has a dad.
Um, but I look around at this room right now
and I never knew I had this many friends.
This Thursday is going to be six months from my transplant,
and I'm going back to work! 76 00:04:14:28 --> 00:04:17.63 Brian and Kim's dream has come true.
Brian finally returns to work.
The work of saving other people's lives,
made possible thanks to a selfless gift given
by someone he doesn't even know.
More people on the waiting list can be saved, just like Brian,
through the increased donation of healthy organs.
Please, talk about donations with your family.
You have the power to create more stories like Brian's,
stories with a happy ending.
A single donor can directly save or enhance the lives
of up to fifty people.
And when you factor in the friends and family
of each recipient, the number of people affected grows and grows,
all thanks to one person's selfless gift.
The good news is that almost everyone can donate,
regardless of age, ethnicity, or religious beliefs.
In fact, if you're over 50, you're a part
of a growing number of organ donors.
Today, there are over 100,000 people waiting for a transplant.
Sadly, 18 die each day waiting for a call
that could save their life.
You can be a part of the solution
by following these simple steps:
Register to become a donor.
Tell your family your wishes on donation.
And donate the gift of life.