I’m Saunya Wenger, and this is how I’ve been living deeply.
“I’ll never forget Mike struggling to tell me, but finally he found the words: ‘How do I explain I just talked to the person who saved my life?’ A year earlier, in February of 2014, a gracious young man we didn’t know (nor did he know us) donated his bone marrow to Mike, my husband. It was a turning point that helped rally Mike back to health. Now, each side was able to learn the other’s identity if both agreed to it, which they did. So Mike, without telling me, had slipped into another part of the house and made a phone call to meet his bone marrow donor, Nate Lull. It was fitting that Nate, the sports director at WCDO radio in Upstate New York, was the perfect match for Mike because they were similar in several ways: Both loved youth sports and were all about encouraging kids. They got to meet in person and clicked instantly- not just Nate and Mike, but Nate and all of us. Nate was an answered prayer- through him, our family got seven more years with Mike. I know it’s God who numbers our years, and the kids and I are so grateful for the extra time He granted us. Many of you knew Mike through his long service as CSPC’s director of sports ministry, so you’re aware Mike’s cancer came back and took him from us last year shortly after our oldest son’s wedding. Nate was here in Knoxville for the funeral. We’d become close enough to consider him a ‘Wenger blood brother.’ One theme I’ve been seeing in my life, especially since Mike’s passing, is how God’s using all kinds of unexpected people to minister to and bless me. Nate, his family, and his friends are among those ‘unexpected’ blessings, so it was my honor to fly to New York and surprise Nate in person this month on his 200th podcast episode. Check it out at the link below, starting about two minutes in, for the wonderful story of how Nate became a donor in the first place. I’d also invite you to prayerfully consider joining the donor registry yourself at bethematch.org. It requires some physical sacrifice if you’re a match, but it can be life-giving.”