Andrew Hertzberg
Alagille Syndrome is a rare genetic disease that causes liver damage. When the adopted daughter of a Memphis couple was diagnosed with the disease, they did everything in their power to help her. And that includes this unconventional way of getting a transplant.
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The Faris family from Memphis had already been traveling to Chicago every three months for check-ups. Whenever the phone would ring, Nick Faris would wonder if it’s about a new liver.
On February 24th, 2016, Jesse Faris finally got the phone call they had been waiting for. The call was from the Ann & Robert H Lurie Children’s hospital. Their daughter Brooklyn would be able to receive a new liver.
But there was one major problem: a huge blizzard hitting Chicago at the time.
Flights were getting canceled and even potential connecting flights might not make it through. Driving, taking the train, private jets all potential options but ultimately would end up taking too long or be prohibitively expensive.
But then, a family friend John Carroll suggested FedEx. Memphis is the worldwide hub for FedEx Express. The family rushed to the airport and they arrived in Chicago an hour after their 8 PM departure.
The surgery began at 10 AM the next morning. After ten hours, the surgery was pronounced a success.
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A month later, Brooklyn returned home. All of this was documented on their blog as well. Not even the reckoning forces of a Chicago winter were enough to keep this family losing their daughter.
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