Day 3564: Sadness.

 

 

"Sadness": junk mail collage, ink, digital.

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Click here: Al Jarreau, Mornin'

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2GN2S ...

Mom hears late son's heart beat in another boy!

Maria Clark uses a stethoscope to hear the heart of her late son, Nicholas, beating in his transplant recipient, Jean Paul Marceaux

Nicholas Peters, of Louisiana, passed away at 25 in a car crash in September 2020.

 

Jean Paul spent the entire summer in the hospital, fighting for his life, before the family got the call they were waiting for in September, notifying them that a heart was available, according to Armstrong.

Jean Paul Marceaux, 14, is pictured after undergoing his second heart transplant in September 2020.

"It's such a dichotomy because you are hoping for it because it’s going to sustain your son’s life, but you know what this is attached to," she said, describing receiving the call as a "flood of emotions." "I know another mother is having what I have been praying to not happen. It’s a very unusual circumstance to be in," Armstrong said.

Clark said she knew her son's heart had been donated but did not know to whom at the time. In most cases of organ donation, families are told to wait one year before reaching out, and it is the donor family that is able to make the outreach. Armstrong said they never heard from the family of Jean Paul's first heart donor, but less than a year after his second transplant, they received a letter from Clark that put a name & face to the donor.

Maria Clark hugs Jean Paul Marceaux, 14, who was the recipient of the heart of Clark's late son, Nicholas.

 

Armstrong said she and her family consider Clark and her children and grandchildren now part of their family "forever." She said they have photos of Clark's son throughout their home, including one on a bookcase in Jean Paul's room. "We feel like we know him," said Armstrong. "We talk about him, Nick, like he’s part of his family, and he is. It’s not donor, it’s Nick." 

 

Members of Maria Clark's family met with Jean Paul Marceaux's family on May 14, 2022, in New Orleans, Louisiana.

Both Armstrong and Clark said they hope their story inspires others to become organ donors and support organ donation. "Nobody wants to talk about what happens when somebody passes away. It’s an uncomfortable situation," said Armstrong. "But it’s very important because someone like Jean Paul, he wouldn’t be alive if it weren’t for organ donation."

Clark said that while she misses her son "every day," she finds comfort knowing that Peters, whom she described as someone who loved to exercise and eat well, is now helping countless other people lead healthy lives. "I just know he's in heaven, dancing and looking down saying, 'Well done,'" she said, adding that she feels another message from her son too. "He's like, 'I'm not finished with you yet, Mom, I've got more stuff coming.'"

 Update ...

 

from Day 1396 • 5/22/2016

I am in love with Haru Urara!

I just discovered her, maybe you already know 

of her? She is my hero. She is a racehorse.

Very possibly the losing-est racehorse ever.

In this day of winning being everything, she triumphed!

 

Haru Urara

Born in Hokkaido, Japanese horse country, in 1996.

 Her first race on November 17, 1998 at Kōchi Racetrack. Haru Urara lost, placing fifth and last. 

 

Over the next four-and-a-half years, 

she would compete once or twice every month, 

but was unable to obtain a single victory.

 

 

In June 2003, after garnering her 80th consecutive loss, the story was picked up by the Japanese media, making "Haru Urara" a household name. 

 

 

She quickly became very popular in Japan, and was called "the shining star of losers everywhere" 

(負け組の星 makegumi no hoshi?), for continuing to run with all her heart, despite her seemingly endless losing streak. 

And a side story ...the financially struggling Kochi racetrack was close to closing. The publicity of Haru Urara drew crowds to the track. Attendance at the race track soared from an average of 1,600 fans per day to 5,000 on Haru-urara’s 100th race. 

Thirteen thousand showed up on her 106th race. 

Japan’s top jockey rode her … and she lost again. 

Fans expect her to lose but bet on her anyway, 

just to get a ticket with her name on it - it’s considered good luck.  

 

 

Haru Urara has not raced since September 2004.

Best of all, she has been saved the fate of many losing horses.Her trainer, Dai Muneishi, arranged for her to retire to a farm on the northern island of Hokkaido. “I don’t really know why she’s so popular,” Muneishi says, “but I guess the biggest reason is that the sight of her running with all her heart gives comfort to people’s hearts.” She maintains a record of 0 wins and 113 losses.

My hero.

 An award winning, wonderful documentary recently aired, made for ESPN and is currently screening. A partly animated short film offering the answer to how an undersized horse who vowed to “Never Give Up”  became known as The Shining Star of Losers Everywhere. You might like it too.

Perhaps we might try cheering on those parts of ourselves which seem to be under-achieving even 

if there seems no end to the losing streak?

 

 

A great 3+minute video, Jon Foreman, here.

 

Just because ...

 

yellow warbler

 

Smiles for Monday ...

 

 

 

 

 

  

 

 

                                                               Thanks for coming by today.