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Honorees
Nicholas Theofiledes – Organ Donor
"My son was 20 years old on the day he died. He had a loving spirit about him. Nicholas was a
smart,good looking young man and loved his friends and family. He loved his music. When he laughed
or got tickled he would kind of bob his head. He was the type that was always for the underdog. The one
that would come to the defense of the people he cared about the most and some that just needed
someone to care about them and to give them a word of encouragement. There was more to Nicholas
than what some people could see, but the ones that truly knew him and loved him knew how big his
heart was. I was blessed to have him for 20 years. I know my son loved me and I love him with all my
heart.
On March 12, 2009, was the most horrible day of my life. That day for me was that of disbelief and
denial. I remember that on that night I was lying in bed and I notice that there was a yellow jacket on my
bed so I went to get the fly swatter to kill the yellow jacket. As I was going into the kitchen I heard
Nicholas laughing in his room with a couple of friends he had invited over. Now, I realize that it would
be the last time I would hear him laugh.
The next thing I knew was my daughter, Rebecca, came into my room and told me that a police officer
was at the door. I went to the door and the officer asked me if I had a son by the name of Nicholas. At
the same time, the telephone rang and it was the hospital. They asked me if I had a son named Nicholas.
Immediately, they were telling me to come to the hospital that there had been an accident. As I was
trying to comprehend what was being said to me, fear clothed me and it was heavy. When I reached the
hospital, they sent me straight to the ER. The doctor was trying to tell me that my son had been in an
accident. I asked him where he was, what room. I did not let the doctor finish explaining, I went to
Nicholas. I saw him unconscious and I could hear the nurse telling the ambulance driver that Nicholas
had multiple head injuries and that they were going to transfer him to Tyler. I did not know if Nicholas
would live or die.
The next thing I knew we were leaving in route to Tyler. It seemed like it took forever. It was raining all
the way to Tyler. I remember in the car on the way to Tyler I was calling my husband, Raymond, but
there was no answer. I called my daughter, Amanda and told her what had. Then, I looked at Rebecca’s
face and I saw the fear that I had experienced earlier on her face.
When we arrived at the hospital, we were sent to the waiting room. Nicholas was in surgery for a
ruptured spleen. Rebecca and I were the only ones in the waiting room. When the phone rang, it was the
doctor asking me if I had any family with me and I told him just my daughter. I asked if we could see
him and he told me not yet and to let them know when my husband arrived. I knew from the sound of
his voice that he was not telling me everything. He simply stated that Nicholas was in serious condition
and there was a possibility he would not make it. That was when my heart sank and a little bit of reality
seeped through.
The rest of the family arrived along with some of his closest friends. When the nurse said we could see
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him, I remember thinking that maybe they stabilized him and he was going to be ok. When I entered the
room I could see tubes coming from the bed where he was lying and he was on a ventilator. I have been
told that when someone is unconscious that they can still hear you talking to them. I called his name and
touch him. I wanted him to know I was there, but there was no response. His face was not cut or bruised,
but at the edge of his eye I saw a tear drop. They let us stay with him for a little while and then asked us
to go back to the waiting room and they would call for us to come back.
The doctor stated that Nicholas had a ruptured spleen, hypothermia and he had lost a lot of blood. The
doctor then told us that they had performed several tests and the conclusion was that Nicholas was brain
dead. The only thing that went through my head was “Oh my God, I have lost him”. Why? I went back
to Nicholas’ room thinking that it was not true. I called his name again, I touched him. I wanted him to
flinch to move to do something. No response. I cannot put into words nor describe my emptiness.
Reality is harsh, and I knew that I had to be strong for Amanda and Rebecca.
When I came out his room and realized that what I had been told was true, I gave my consent to have his
organs donated. After all the paperwork had been done and arrangements were made to have Nicholas’
body sent back to Mt. Pleasant, I started asking questions about how the accident happened.
You must believe in the grace of God. That God’s grace is with us even in the darkest moments. The
night of the accident it was raining hard and thundering. In our yard is a large oak tree. It is believed that
Nicholas was on his way home when his car hydroplaned and hit the tree. There are neighbors close by
our house, but they did not hear anything. The neighborhood dogs did not bark. Even when the
ambulance, police and fire rescue came no one heard anything. Everyone was sleeping. The wrecker
driver, who was a neighbor, could not place where he had seen the car before. When the officer had
came to my door to ask if I had a son named Nicholas he did not realize at the time that Nicholas lived
there. When I left for the hospital his car had already been removed and there was no evidence that there
had been an accident. I believe that God spared Rebecca and me from finding Nicholas in the front yard.
In all reality we should have been awaken from the commotion of the police and fire rescue team. The
neighborhood dogs should have barked. Our German Shepard should have barked. We all slept through
the whole ordeal.
It has been 18 months now since Nicholas past away and I have done a lot of soul searching. During that
time two of the recipients have written to our family to express their gratitude for the gift they have
received and to tell their story. I will cherish them forever. I am sorry it has taken me this long to write
this letter. I am proud that Nicholas’ organs were used to save their life.
I want to close with a message to all the people that have lost loved ones. I want you to know that God is
full of mercy and grace. I am a believer. Without the Lord in my life, I would have been lost. Remember
time is precious; use it wisely. Always remember that when the Lord is with you anything is possible.
God Bless You.
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Teri Burns – Peripheral Blood Stem Cell Donor
“After being on the marrow registry for over ten years, I received a call this past April that I was a
potential match. I was so excited to receive this call and did not hesitate to say “yes!”
After undergoing a physical many rounds of lab work and shots to increase my stem cells, I was a stem
cell donor this past May.
The recipient was a 62 year-old man with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. It was so rewarding to help
someone in need. I would do it again if called.”
Bob Hogberg – Marrow Transplant Recipient
Bob Hogberg was diagnosed with acute myelogenous leukemia in June of 2004. Doctors said his best
chance of a complete recovery would be a bone marrow transplant, but no one in his family was a
match. A match was made with North Carolinian Marc Heath and the transplant was done in January
2006.
Regulations prohibited the donor and recipient from talking to each other for the first year post
transplant. Since that time, however, the men have developed a friendship by communicating by phone
and e-mail. In 2008, Bob got a chance to meet his donor.
“It’s great to get a chance to meet the person who’s responsible for me still being alive,” Hogberg said.
“I believe there’s a divine purpose in all our lives and things work out when we hand them over to God.
Marc gave of himself in a very real and personal way, and I’ll always be grateful. I have a Savior in
heaven who’s given me eternal life, and a buddy here on earth who’s give me physical life.”
Bob is now now of the board of “Because I Care”, a local recruitment program for the Be The Match
Registry.
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Carmen Jenkins – Organ Donor
Carmen was an inspiring eleven year old. She raised can tops for Cancer victims and was the light of her
family’s lives. Even after her passing, she was helping people by being an organ donor. We just want
her memory to live on not just through us, but have her touch the lives of many others. I would also like
to thank Michael Lewis for riding for her.
Carmen’s laugh was very contagious. She was a big sister and a little sister. She left a big sister, Linda
(now 17) and little sister Jessica (now 10) and a new baby brother, Bryce (now two). She was a
commended student, challenged with dyslexia, and a wonderful daughter. She loved life and lived for
every moment. Now there isn’t a moment we don’t think about her.
I got the call December 20, 2008, while Christmas shopping with Linda and Bryce. Jessica and Carmen
were at my mothers. I was told she had been in an accident on a four wheeler and was hurt bad. I beat
the ambulance to the hospital. The doctors told us she had massive head injuries and was no longer with
us. Her little sister watched the whole awful experience of her sister’s death. As I sat holding Carmen
and wished I had her back, I could only think of one way to have her still here and that was to help her
give life to others. Carmen was always trying to help others. Now she can and will help save live from
now on.
Carmen, Mommy missed you. I love you
Amy Hill and Sharon Sanders – Donation Advocates
Because I Care is a nonprofit corporation which was organized in January 1990 in Longview, Texas.
The organization was co-founded by Sharon Sanders and Amy Hill and a group of concerned citizens
determined to help Bryan Quinn and Al Edwards, two East Texans both of whom had been stricken with
a life-threatening form of leukemia. In order to have a to survive, Bryan and Al each needed a bone
marrow transplant. Neither of them had a match within their families.
Because I Care started in earnest. Sharon and Amy headed up a small group of friends who organized a
walkathon to benefit the two families. This simple idea, however, took on a life of its own. Clubs,
organizations, churches, schools and businesses all got involved. The media picked up the story and the
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mayor declared January 27, 1990, "Because I Care Day."
As a result at that walkathon,
63 people were tissue-typed, adding to the 300 who were typed the previous month
Over 80 units of blood were donated.
$34,000 was raised to help the two families with the costly donor search and medical expenses.
Since that time, Because I Care has recruited over 16,000 potential donors for the registry of the
National Marrow Donor Program. Dozens of these have been fortunate enough to match a patient,
giving the "Gift of Life."
Janie Malone – Marrow Donor and Donation Advocate
Janie Malone is a life saver in many ways!
She was a marrow donor in 1997, which gave her recipient another year with their family. Janie
describes her donation experience as “wonderful” and said she would gladly do it again in a minute!
Janie has also helped save many other lives through her many years with the National Marrow Donor
Program. She became the manager of the Stewart Regional Blood Center’s Marrow Donor Program in
1996 and since that time has registered many thousands of people in the Tyler area. Many of the people
she recruited have gone on to be marrow or stem cell donors themselves and, like Janie, have given hope
and life to many.
Thank you Janie Malone, for your many years of service and caring to Be The Match and the people of
East Texas.
Brandon Madlock
Brandon lost his life after a car accident in January of 2000. He was a multiple organ donor.
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Brandon was a senior at Robert E. Lee High School and played varsity basketball. He was loved by all.
Joshua Canal – Heart Recipient
Joshua is the son of Lone Star Circle of Life Riders Joe and Becky Canal. Josh received a heart
transplant in 1998.
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