It happens all over the world in all kinds of situations. Not all of those who miraculously recover or who unselfishly and literally give a part of themselves so another may live become front page news. However, I think we should take note when things of this nature happen and to honor the heroism of those who are willing to sacrifice so much for the lives of others.
Yosef Eliezrie was diagnosed with leukemia three years ago before embarking on an exciting summer program in Lithuania. At first, he and the doctors thought he merely had flu, but his condition worsened upon arriving in Lithuania, and he couldn’t eat or drink. Once blood tests confirmed the true nature of his illness, he was sent back to California to be with his family. However, it wasn’t such a pleasant homecoming as Yosef was in intensive care and wasn’t expected to pull through. Yosef’s father, Dovid Eliezrie, director of the Yorba Linda Chabad Center, admitted to feeling shocked when the doctors told him to gather the family together and prepared him for the worst. Still Dovid believed with perfect faith that his son would pull through and miraculously, he did.
The chemotherapy treatments proved to be successful and the family felt bolstered by one of the Lubavitcher Rebbe’s letters published in a book. The letter gave the family confidence that Yosef would ultimately defeat his illness. The leukemia returned by that summer, and the family was again in distress, but believed in the Rebbe’s letter that the outcome would ultimately be for the best.
The doctors decided a bone marrow transplant was essential to Yosef’s survival, however, no match was found among his family and friends. A fantastic Israeli organization, Ezer Mizion, matched Yosef up with a potential donor, and the bone marrow transplant saved his life.
Yosef continued his activities as before, but wondered who this person was who gave him the transplant. Moshe Price, a yeshiva student in Israeli, also wondered if the donation he gave ultimately served its purpose. After Ezer Mizion’s confidentiality agreement expired (after a year), the two met up in California in a joyous meeting. They talked for hours like two school friends catching up after years apart. They described each other as “blood brothers” and in a very literal sense, they are.