" The Gift "

Mary, a 14 year old girl from USA, was very sick. She had a bad heart. "Mary needs a new heart" her doctors said, "She must have a new heart or she will die soon"



Felipe, a 15 year old was worried about Mary. Philip was Mary's friend. He liked her very much. He liked her freckles and he liked her smile. Philip didn't want Mary to die.

Felipe talked to his mother about Mary. I'm going to die and I want to give my heart to Mary. His mother didn't pay much attention to Felipe. She said he's just kidding. She thought Philip isn't going to die. He's strong and healthy.

But Philip was not healthy. He had terrible headaches sometimes. "My head really hurts", he often told to his friends. He never told his parents about his headaches.

One morning Felipe woke up with a sharp pain on his head. He was dizzy and he couldn't breathe. He was then rushed to the hospital. The doctors at the hospital had terrible news to the parents " Philip brain is dead, we can't save him."

The family were very sad, but they remembered his words. Philip wanted to give his heart to Mary. The doctors made several tests and they finally said " We can give Philip's heart to Mary" . They took out his heart after his death and rushed the heart to Mary. Doctors took Mary's heart and replaced with Felipe's heart.

The operation was a success. Felipe's heart was beating in Mary's chest. But Mary didn't know it. Her parent's and her doctors didn't tell her.. They waited until she was stronger. Then they told her about Felipe. " I feel very sad" she said, but I am thankful to Felipe."

Three months after the operation. Mary was back at school. She has to have a regular check ups. and she has to take medicine everyday. But she is living anormal life.

Felipe's brother said " Everytime we see Mary, we think of Felipe". She has his heart in her. That gives us a great PEACE."

"Great! well done Felipe! that's the value of a real friendship."

Passage was extracted from Sandra Heyer's TRUE STORIES.