#MediaMonday – John Faherty
My dad, who lost his life in 2002 and donated his organs to several people on transplant lists, with NFL Great Walter Payton, who lost his life in 1999 while waiting for an organ transplant.
I love to write – mostly, because I love to read.
I like to think most of us communications folks fall into this category.
Recently, one of the best reporters to ever work at the Arizona Republic wrote something that had me in tears as I read – repeatedly.
The reporter – John Faherty, who is now with the Cincinnati Enquirer. Many of you will also recognize his wife, Laura, who worked for the Republic as well.
The story – was actually about himself and his journey through the organ transplant process.
We don’t often see reporters get the chance to write long form these days, as he does here. And, we almost never see reporters write about themselves and their family.
For me, the story struck deep for two major reasons. First, like John, my dad was a diabetic, which led to him to having a massive (aka fatal) heart attack in November 2002 at just 49 years old. And second, upon his death, we were able to give many of his organs to those on transplant waiting lists, as John was on himself. Believe it or not, the idea of giving away someone you love’s organs – especially someone who wasn’t outwardly sick or suffering, like my dad – is really hard. Like gut wrenchingly hard.
Today, this #MediaMonday, I urge you to read his prose and share his story. It made me happy we made that gut wrenching choice to donate – and hopeful the recipients of his organs were like John.
