1 00:00:38,001 --> 00:00:41,440 Speaker 1: Hey friends, it's Kelly from Life Audio. We just launched 2 00:00:41,501 --> 00:00:45,181 Speaker 1: something new. It's called The Good Word, our free weekly 3 00:00:45,241 --> 00:00:48,120 Speaker 1: newsletter built for people who want to go a little 4 00:00:48,161 --> 00:00:54,011 Speaker 1: deeper in their faith. Think devotionals, guided prayers, curated podcast recommendations, 5 00:00:54,191 --> 00:00:57,311 Speaker 1: and a little community all in one place. No ads, 6 00:00:57,651 --> 00:01:00,091 Speaker 1: just good content. This one means a lot to us. 7 00:01:00,491 --> 00:01:03,271 Speaker 1: We built The Good Word based on the audience survey 8 00:01:03,491 --> 00:01:05,671 Speaker 1: so many of you filled out a few months back. 9 00:01:05,991 --> 00:01:08,571 Speaker 1: You told us what you wanted and we listened. So 10 00:01:08,611 --> 00:01:11,560 Speaker 1: thank you truly for helping us shape this. Head to 11 00:01:11,580 --> 00:01:14,181 Speaker 1: the link in the show notes and join our community today. 12 00:01:14,481 --> 00:01:15,441 Speaker 1: We'd love to have you. 13 00:01:18,461 --> 00:01:25,111 Speaker 2: Life Audio. Welcome back, friends and loyal listeners, and welcome 14 00:01:25,251 --> 00:01:30,531 Speaker 2: any newcomers to the Story Behind podcast. If my math 15 00:01:30,610 --> 00:01:35,700 Speaker 2: is right, this is our September 30th episode the last 16 00:01:35,801 --> 00:01:39,501 Speaker 2: day of september which is hard to believe i've got 17 00:01:39,681 --> 00:01:42,601 Speaker 2: a yes it is pumpkin flavored coffee here so i'm 18 00:01:42,661 --> 00:01:46,011 Speaker 2: ready to go with some stories that have come to 19 00:01:46,111 --> 00:01:51,391 Speaker 2: us if you will organically and with that tease i'll 20 00:01:51,831 --> 00:01:53,531 Speaker 2: take a sip of my coffee and give you a 21 00:01:53,551 --> 00:01:56,111 Speaker 2: chance to do the same and we will be right 22 00:01:56,171 --> 00:02:09,171 Speaker 2: back with today's uplifting and encouraging stories All right. I'm 23 00:02:09,251 --> 00:02:14,791 Speaker 2: Sean McAvoy, your host for Story Behind Podcast. Behind what? Well, 24 00:02:14,851 --> 00:02:18,821 Speaker 2: behind any of the negative news that we encounter in 25 00:02:18,901 --> 00:02:22,201 Speaker 2: our algorithms or on our TV viewing or in our 26 00:02:22,240 --> 00:02:26,261 Speaker 2: newspapers today. We want you to know that there are 27 00:02:26,321 --> 00:02:31,041 Speaker 2: still things going on out there that are good news 28 00:02:31,541 --> 00:02:34,201 Speaker 2: that might be behind the other things a little bit, 29 00:02:34,281 --> 00:02:38,401 Speaker 2: but We've done the digging for you. Our team at GodTube.com, 30 00:02:38,421 --> 00:02:41,630 Speaker 2: where you can watch without worry, has found these stories 31 00:02:42,291 --> 00:02:45,371 Speaker 2: and written them up for us. And it's my pleasure 32 00:02:45,411 --> 00:02:48,191 Speaker 2: to bring them to you today. Today, I'm choosing the 33 00:02:48,251 --> 00:02:52,891 Speaker 2: theme of organ donation, something that I remember in my 34 00:02:52,941 --> 00:02:56,500 Speaker 2: youth was controversial in the church, and I never quite 35 00:02:56,581 --> 00:02:59,501 Speaker 2: understood why. My mother asked me not to be an 36 00:02:59,641 --> 00:03:03,471 Speaker 2: organ donor on my driver's license when I first got it, 37 00:03:03,581 --> 00:03:06,740 Speaker 2: but I've always been happy to be one. And today 38 00:03:06,781 --> 00:03:09,901 Speaker 2: we've got a couple stories about how organ donations saved 39 00:03:09,961 --> 00:03:14,981 Speaker 2: lives and then some. Our first one is by Michaela Gordonei. 40 00:03:16,321 --> 00:03:19,781 Speaker 2: This is how a bride's love story began with the 41 00:03:19,901 --> 00:03:25,311 Speaker 2: organ donor who saved her life. A Kentucky woman married 42 00:03:26,270 --> 00:03:30,351 Speaker 2: her organ donor's brother decades after she went through a 43 00:03:30,431 --> 00:03:37,541 Speaker 2: life-saving accident. liver transplant. Brooklyn Dotson, 24, was given only 44 00:03:37,641 --> 00:03:40,761 Speaker 2: three days to live before she got her miracle donation 45 00:03:41,461 --> 00:03:46,681 Speaker 2: from 10-year-old Michael Waters, who tragically died in a car accident. 46 00:03:48,121 --> 00:03:51,021 Speaker 2: No one knew until now that he'd also helped give 47 00:03:51,061 --> 00:03:54,801 Speaker 2: her another huge gift in her life through her connection 48 00:03:55,181 --> 00:04:01,071 Speaker 2: with his brother. Even before age 10, Michael expressed a 49 00:04:01,131 --> 00:04:06,551 Speaker 2: desire to be an organ donor. Through the transplant, Brooklyn 50 00:04:06,591 --> 00:04:11,361 Speaker 2: met his younger brother, Noah, and the two became childhood friends, 51 00:04:12,141 --> 00:04:16,301 Speaker 2: which blossomed into a romance as they got older. I'd 52 00:04:16,361 --> 00:04:20,140 Speaker 2: say he probably knew what his purpose was, said Noah, 53 00:04:20,441 --> 00:04:23,911 Speaker 2: who is from Ohio. I had no idea that my 54 00:04:23,941 --> 00:04:28,151 Speaker 2: brother was going to save my wife's life 20 years later. 55 00:04:29,821 --> 00:04:34,921 Speaker 2: Michael's limbs, heart, eyes, lungs, and kidneys were donated to 56 00:04:35,041 --> 00:04:38,931 Speaker 2: other patients. The man who received his heart will also 57 00:04:38,991 --> 00:04:45,170 Speaker 2: attend Brooklyn's and Noah's wedding in September. The family believes 58 00:04:45,211 --> 00:04:47,940 Speaker 2: that God had a hand in how their lives have 59 00:04:48,001 --> 00:04:53,681 Speaker 2: played out. Noah's cousin, Beth Poteet, firmly believes that Michael 60 00:04:53,721 --> 00:04:56,721 Speaker 2: was meant to have a legacy live on through Brooklyn 61 00:04:57,061 --> 00:05:01,011 Speaker 2: and Noah. I get to enjoy life because of him, 62 00:05:01,771 --> 00:05:05,211 Speaker 2: and I get to live and hopefully honor his memory 63 00:05:05,411 --> 00:05:09,011 Speaker 2: the best way that I can, Brooklyn said about Michael. 64 00:05:10,690 --> 00:05:15,521 Speaker 2: I am a walking, living, breathing miracle, and I know 65 00:05:15,581 --> 00:05:20,940 Speaker 2: God has played a role in this. This is, honestly, 66 00:05:20,981 --> 00:05:25,601 Speaker 2: the most beautiful miracle I've ever heard of. Michael's family 67 00:05:25,761 --> 00:05:29,371 Speaker 2: already meant so much to Brooklyn and her family. And now, 68 00:05:29,931 --> 00:05:34,601 Speaker 2: that's multiplied tenfold. One little boy was able to do that. 69 00:05:36,001 --> 00:05:41,320 Speaker 2: Thank God for his generous heart. As it says in 70 00:05:41,361 --> 00:05:43,181 Speaker 2: Psalm 77, 14, We'll be right back with our second 71 00:05:43,201 --> 00:06:05,910 Speaker 2: story today on Story Behind. As we all gather back 72 00:06:06,130 --> 00:06:09,351 Speaker 2: for our second story today, I wonder, when you think 73 00:06:09,391 --> 00:06:14,101 Speaker 2: of some of your favorite stories, whether nonfiction or fiction, 74 00:06:14,701 --> 00:06:17,301 Speaker 2: what are some of the elements that make them such 75 00:06:17,341 --> 00:06:25,211 Speaker 2: a great story? Is there romantic love, sacrifice, heroism, the 76 00:06:25,531 --> 00:06:29,651 Speaker 2: quick responses of first responders? Well, this story has all 77 00:06:29,690 --> 00:06:32,831 Speaker 2: of that. So we'll see how it strikes you. This 78 00:06:32,891 --> 00:06:38,461 Speaker 2: is by Heather Riggleman. First responder couple finds hope after 79 00:06:38,541 --> 00:06:44,351 Speaker 2: wife donates kidney to save her husband. Grab a tissue, 80 00:06:44,981 --> 00:06:50,111 Speaker 2: says Heather. This miraculous story is akin to romance movies 81 00:06:50,151 --> 00:06:55,731 Speaker 2: like The Notebook. The story begins when Arizona firefighters, Junior 82 00:06:55,771 --> 00:06:59,731 Speaker 2: Coleman and Maddie Geer, already knew they were a match 83 00:06:59,791 --> 00:07:04,231 Speaker 2: made in heaven. But when Junior needed a kidney transplant, 84 00:07:05,081 --> 00:07:07,901 Speaker 2: the couple discovered they were a perfect match in more 85 00:07:07,961 --> 00:07:13,231 Speaker 2: ways than one. Junior is a 30-year-old firefighter with the 86 00:07:13,291 --> 00:07:19,371 Speaker 2: Surprise Fire Medical Department. He began experiencing constant fatigue and 87 00:07:19,431 --> 00:07:23,811 Speaker 2: blurry vision in the spring of 2025. As someone who 88 00:07:23,931 --> 00:07:28,941 Speaker 2: exercised regularly and underwent routine physicals for his job, he 89 00:07:28,981 --> 00:07:33,551 Speaker 2: never imagined he was developing a rare kidney disease. But 90 00:07:33,651 --> 00:07:38,821 Speaker 2: Junior's condition progressed to stage 5 kidney failure. Soon he 91 00:07:38,881 --> 00:07:42,601 Speaker 2: was undergoing dialysis three times a week and waiting for 92 00:07:42,641 --> 00:07:48,641 Speaker 2: the transplant that could save his life. That was when Maddie, 93 00:07:48,781 --> 00:07:52,091 Speaker 2: a 29-year-old firefighter with the Phoenix Fire Department, stepped forward. 94 00:07:53,131 --> 00:07:56,571 Speaker 2: If I'm a match, it's meant to be, she remembered thinking. 95 00:07:57,891 --> 00:08:01,071 Speaker 2: The test results confirmed what their hearts already knew. They 96 00:08:01,171 --> 00:08:05,331 Speaker 2: were a match. Maddie could give her husband one of 97 00:08:05,391 --> 00:08:11,141 Speaker 2: her kidneys. The couple underwent transplant surgery on July 16th 98 00:08:12,281 --> 00:08:15,461 Speaker 2: and began recovering together at their home in Surprise, Arizona. 99 00:08:16,521 --> 00:08:19,701 Speaker 2: For Maddie, the pain of surgery was small compared with 100 00:08:19,721 --> 00:08:24,561 Speaker 2: the gift of watching her husband regain his strength. Knowing 101 00:08:24,621 --> 00:08:27,851 Speaker 2: that I'm going to make him feel better outweighed all 102 00:08:27,891 --> 00:08:32,431 Speaker 2: the pain, she said. Junior noticed the difference almost immediately. 103 00:08:32,891 --> 00:08:36,110 Speaker 2: I felt alive again, he said. She gave me a 104 00:08:36,211 --> 00:08:41,451 Speaker 2: chance at a second life. Junior's diagnosis also shattered the 105 00:08:41,491 --> 00:08:45,811 Speaker 2: sense of invincibility that can come with being young, healthy, 106 00:08:46,151 --> 00:08:50,771 Speaker 2: and trained to rescue others. This time, the firefighter was 107 00:08:50,851 --> 00:08:54,271 Speaker 2: the one who needed saving, and his wife answered the call. 108 00:08:55,571 --> 00:08:58,200 Speaker 2: Both hope to return to active duty once they have 109 00:08:58,231 --> 00:09:04,051 Speaker 2: fully recovered. After building a career around protecting strangers, Maddie 110 00:09:04,310 --> 00:09:06,490 Speaker 2: said helping the person who means the most to her 111 00:09:07,071 --> 00:09:11,681 Speaker 2: was the greatest feeling of all. Their marriage was already 112 00:09:11,741 --> 00:09:15,881 Speaker 2: a match made in heaven. Then medicine revealed that they 113 00:09:15,921 --> 00:09:18,101 Speaker 2: were also a match here on earth, right down to 114 00:09:18,141 --> 00:09:21,621 Speaker 2: the kidney Maddie lovingly gave so her husband could live. 115 00:09:23,121 --> 00:09:26,381 Speaker 2: That experience left Junior with a renewed gratitude for life 116 00:09:27,731 --> 00:09:31,751 Speaker 2: and the woman beside him. It makes me realize I 117 00:09:31,801 --> 00:09:36,420 Speaker 2: married the right person, he said. As it says in 118 00:09:36,481 --> 00:09:39,881 Speaker 2: John 15, 13, greater love has no one than this 119 00:09:40,981 --> 00:09:46,221 Speaker 2: to lay down one's life or one's friends. It's been 120 00:09:46,241 --> 00:09:49,281 Speaker 2: a privilege again to think through these stories with you 121 00:09:49,321 --> 00:09:52,800 Speaker 2: today and what they mean in a world where people 122 00:09:53,780 --> 00:09:58,301 Speaker 2: are often so self-absorbed, self-centered, sometimes for good reason. We 123 00:09:58,321 --> 00:10:01,891 Speaker 2: all have so much going on. but to remember those 124 00:10:01,971 --> 00:10:06,151 Speaker 2: who have given all or some. How can we do 125 00:10:06,211 --> 00:10:09,731 Speaker 2: any less? I'm Sean McAvoy. It's been great to be 126 00:10:09,751 --> 00:10:14,121 Speaker 2: with you today. Thanks for listening to the Story Behind Podcast. 127 00:10:17,981 --> 00:10:20,621 Speaker 2: I hope today's stories encouraged you and remind you of 128 00:10:20,660 --> 00:10:23,021 Speaker 2: the ways God is still moving in the world around us. 129 00:10:24,441 --> 00:10:26,471 Speaker 2: Visit the links in the show notes to find the 130 00:10:26,521 --> 00:10:30,411 Speaker 2: original articles, photos, videos, and and any resources mentioned in 131 00:10:30,451 --> 00:10:35,981 Speaker 2: today's episode on the God Updates blog at gottube.com. If 132 00:10:36,001 --> 00:10:38,471 Speaker 2: you enjoyed these stories, be sure to follow... Story Behind 133 00:10:38,530 --> 00:10:41,971 Speaker 2: wherever you listen to podcasts and share today's episode with 134 00:10:42,011 --> 00:10:45,830 Speaker 2: someone who could use a little encouragement. Story Behind is 135 00:10:45,871 --> 00:10:51,231 Speaker 2: a Life Audio production. For more faith-based podcasts, visit lifeaudio.com. 136 00:10:52,421 --> 00:10:54,521 Speaker 2: Thanks again for joining me, and we'll see you next 137 00:10:54,561 --> 00:10:56,301 Speaker 2: time on Story Behind.