Return to Transcripts main page

CNN Saturday Morning News

Newspaper Ad Finds Kidney Donor

Aired January 04, 2003 - 07:25   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


HEIDI COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: We've seen them before, newspaper ads where people look for love or maybe even a lost pet. But we came across an unusual ad that for one family was certainly a matter of life or death. A woman in the Midwest was looking for a kidney for her sick little girl. And amazingly, she got a response.
Nicole Kilmer of CNN affiliate WREX has the story from a father's perspective.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

TONY RUSHFORD, ANGELA'S FATHER: It's like a miracle, a dream come true. I just can't believe that I really, I owe Dave, David Harper a lot and he's my hero. You know, when I was a kid my hero was Spiderman? Now it's David Harper.

NICOLE KILMER, WREX CORRESPONDENT: Tony Rushford and his wife were faced with a dilemma. Their daughter needed a new kidney in order to survive. But it was a one in a million long shot. But their hero came to the rescue.

RUSHFORD: It's weird, it's like it was meant to be, you know? It really was.

KILMER: Thirty-eight-year-old David Harper called the Rushfords one week after the ad was placed. One of Tony's first questions? Why would a total stranger want to help?

RUSHFORD: And he just said I want to help. He goes, I wish if my child was, you know, sick that someone would do the same for him.

KILMER: After two hours of surgery each to remove and replace the kidneys, Angela can begin the road to recovery.

RUSHFORD: Right now she, you know, she's kind of laid out kind of right now. But she, she's a normal, you know, she was a normal young girl. It's just, she got sick about 15 months ago and her health just really declined and, you know, she'd have some days where she was bedridden, couldn't do anything, you know, it just would kill you just to look at her, you know? I hope other people can use him as an example and, you know, give other kids, you know, like my daughter, you know, a second chance.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COLLINS: Little Angela is said to be doing very well. She's expected to be released from the hospital in a week or 10 days. TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com






Aired January 4, 2003 - 07:25   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
HEIDI COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: We've seen them before, newspaper ads where people look for love or maybe even a lost pet. But we came across an unusual ad that for one family was certainly a matter of life or death. A woman in the Midwest was looking for a kidney for her sick little girl. And amazingly, she got a response.
Nicole Kilmer of CNN affiliate WREX has the story from a father's perspective.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

TONY RUSHFORD, ANGELA'S FATHER: It's like a miracle, a dream come true. I just can't believe that I really, I owe Dave, David Harper a lot and he's my hero. You know, when I was a kid my hero was Spiderman? Now it's David Harper.

NICOLE KILMER, WREX CORRESPONDENT: Tony Rushford and his wife were faced with a dilemma. Their daughter needed a new kidney in order to survive. But it was a one in a million long shot. But their hero came to the rescue.

RUSHFORD: It's weird, it's like it was meant to be, you know? It really was.

KILMER: Thirty-eight-year-old David Harper called the Rushfords one week after the ad was placed. One of Tony's first questions? Why would a total stranger want to help?

RUSHFORD: And he just said I want to help. He goes, I wish if my child was, you know, sick that someone would do the same for him.

KILMER: After two hours of surgery each to remove and replace the kidneys, Angela can begin the road to recovery.

RUSHFORD: Right now she, you know, she's kind of laid out kind of right now. But she, she's a normal, you know, she was a normal young girl. It's just, she got sick about 15 months ago and her health just really declined and, you know, she'd have some days where she was bedridden, couldn't do anything, you know, it just would kill you just to look at her, you know? I hope other people can use him as an example and, you know, give other kids, you know, like my daughter, you know, a second chance.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COLLINS: Little Angela is said to be doing very well. She's expected to be released from the hospital in a week or 10 days. TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com