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July/August 2007 Issue
A chance to live
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A
fun, easy-going couple in their late 40s, it's no surprise
that Kathy and Jim Jauw of Byron Center have scores
of friends. But it's their relationship with a 62-year-old
Texan that is truly sacred. That's because the heart
inside the 6- ft., 2-inch retired welder from Amarillo
once belonged to Jauws' 20-year-old son Jason. |
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To understand the bonds of this special friendship
is to appreciate the tremendous joy and sorrow the Jauws have
experienced in raising - and then losing - an extraordinary
son. It's also about discovering the many layers and textures
of faith that come with sacrifi cial giving.
Perfect Harmony
A love of music, theater, faith and humor
has always fi lled the Jauw family home. In fact, Jim and
Kathy met nearly 30 years ago during rehearsals for their
high school musical. Following marriage and the birth of sons
Brian and Jason, the vocally inclined duo nurtured their sons'
musical talents and eventually settled just blocks from the
soon-tobe- opened Van Singel Fine Arts Center, allowing them
close access to their favorite pastime, great schools and
Jim's work as a quality engineer in Holland During his high
school years, Jason landed roles in numerous high school productions.
His impressive tenor voice earned him a spot on his school's
prestigious traveling vocal performance troupe. Jason played
tuba, bass guitar and sousaphone and performed with several
school bands.
Naturally Generous
Despite the family's busy performance schedules,
Sundays were reserved for church - and reaching out to the
Catholic community. Since the early days of their marriage,
Jim has served as executive producer of Sunday Mass, the weekly
TV broadcast airing live from the Cathedral of Saint Andrew
that serves the home bound (seniors, college students, prisoners
and hospital patients). The celebration, a service of numerous
volunteers, reaches viewers beyond diocesan boundaries. When
Jason expressed an interest in assisting with operations,
Jim jumped at the chance to foster a second generation of
Sunday Mass assistance. "He was just a generous kid by nature,"
said Jim. "He was a good kid, a good person and a fi ne adult,
always helping people."
Called to Serve
Following graduation from Byron Center High
School, Jason's creative pursuits turned to the culinary arts.
But the events of September 11 changed that, with Jason, 20,
feeling called to serve his country. He enrolled in the armed
services and was sent to Fort Sill, near Lawton, Oklahoma
for basic training. Like many parents of new recruits, Kathy
and Jim were proud of their son's decision, but anxious about
the inherent risks. As they exchanged frequent calls and letters
with Jason during the summer of 2003, their worries began
to subside. That is, until a late August evening, when Jason's
military commander left an urgent message on the couple's
answering machine, directing the Jauws to contact him immediately.
"I remember saying, 'This can't be good'," recalled Jim.
Life Changes
Jim's instincts would prove to be correct.
The commander informed him that Jason was in a military hospital
in an unconscious state after collapsing during a basic training
exercise. Feeling helpless, the couple packed, called their
oldest son and future daughter-inlaw in Mt. Pleasant and made
fl ight arrangements. That's when the hospital's attending
physician called with grave news, explaining that the two
main arteries carrying oxygen to the brain were not functioning
and that a respirator was keeping their son alive. As the
diffi cult conversation came to a close, the doctor broached
the subject of organ donation.
"It was at this (point) that we were approached
about organ donation - it sealed the direction where future
conversations were going to go," said Jim Jauw. And so, the
Jauws didn't hesitate, knowing the gesture giving nature.
In the blurring, passing hours, the Jauws boarded a plane
to say good-bye to their son - but not without taking a fi
nal call from the hospital, asking the couple if they were
sure about donating Jason's organs, including his heart, corneas,
lungs, liver and kidneys What they could never fathom, however,
were the countless blessings they have received ever since,
even in the depths of their grief over Jason's death. One
of those blessings has come in the way of meeting Sidney McDonald,
the recipient of Jason's heart.
"God's Icing"
Through mutual agreement, the Jauws and Sidney
and his wife, Bobbi knew that they needed a greater connection
than what their initial letter and follow-up phone call had
provided. They wanted to meet face-to-face to bring mutual
closure to their questions. The connection and chemistry between
the two couples were instant, providing a ready-made foundation
of support for the tears and hugs that would follow, as the
couples embraced the raw, contrasting emotions of Jason's
death and Sidney's extended life. "When I saw pictures of
Jason, I couldn't stop bawling; I lost it," recalled Sidney.
"From that moment on, we weren't strangers any more, we were
family. That's the way we felt, and that's the way it is."
The Jauws couldn't agree more. Today, it's not uncommon for
the couples to exchange e-mails and phone calls. And more
personal visits are in the works.
For the Jauws, the transplant experience and
friendship with the McDonalds have been "God's icing," said
Kathy. "It's been an extraordinary blessing." "In our 'dying
experience,' there is more that unites us than separates us,"
Jim said. "It's a very spiritual experience. It's through
this where you (understand) the grace of God." "We appreciate
life more - not that we didn't, but it's deeper now," Kathy
added.
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