One Marine's tragedy became another's lifeline this month as medical staff on opposite sides of the country worked quickly on an out-of-the-ordinary kidney donation.
The fast-paced transplant underscores the deep bond among service members and their families, according to friends and relatives. As Sgt. Jacob Chadwick prepared to leave the hospital Aug. 11, hundreds of police cars and motorcycles escorted 2nd Lt. Patrick Wayland's casket through his hometown of Midland, Texas, where thousands lined the streets waving American flags.
"Patrick took an oath to serve his country. Few people are able to do that," said Wayland's friend, 2nd Lt. John Silvestro. "Patrick, he would consider himself lucky to serve not only his country, but his fellow Marine."
Staff at
UC San Diego Medical Center said they were surprised by the extra effort one family put in to help a stranger.
"I've been doing this for 20 years and have never seen anything like it," said David Lewino, a transplant coordinator. "That whole sense of Marine family — you hear about it, but when you see it firsthand, you really believe it."
By having a kidney designated to him, Chadwick was able to get off the waiting list.
In October, Chadwick had an appointment to get his kidneys checked after experiencing severe
headaches and dizzy spells. But that was the day his daughter, Ella Marie, was born. Chadwick put off going to the doctor, trying to enjoy his time with Ella.
Chadwick, who said he had always been healthy, spent most of 2009 as an infantryman in Iraq with the 1st Marine Division at Camp Pendleton. By the time he saw a doctor in December, his kidneys were scarred. It was a sign of rapidly progressive glomerulonephritis, or kidney failure. He needed a transplant.
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