Positivity: FBI agent donates a kidney to a woman he picked online
From the Chicago area (HT DailyGood e-mail):
FBI agent a reluctant hero
April 18, 2007
He’s an FBI special agent, a father, a crisis hotline volunteer, and — on Thursday — he’ll donate a kidney to someone he just met.
But Tom Simon doesn’t want to be called a hero.
Simon, 37, says he wanted to make a difference in someone’s life and show others that donating an organ isn’t difficult to do.
He looked on a donor Web site, www.matchingdonors.com, and found Brenda Lagrimas’ profile.
She was young, wanted to start a family and, like him, was in law enforcement. To Simon, she was the perfect match.
“I’d like to draw attention to the fact that this isn’t a giant sacrifice in my life,” Simon said. “Brenda is going to die if she doesn’t get a kidney. I have one to spare. I’m not being a hero. This is social justice.”
Simon started with the FBI 12 years ago and investigates major financial and white-collar crimes. He’s married and has two children, ages 4 and 3. He made the decision after many long talks with his wife, he said.
Go here for the rest of the story.
Simon has a blog. His April 25 entry indicates that donee and donor are doing fine.
