Flying is usually the fastest way to travel throughout the world. Unfortunately, flying isn’t the most dependable form of transportation, especially when poor weather is involved. When you’re on a tight schedule, flying can interfere with that.
When a blizzard prevented the Faris family from flying out of Memphis, Tennessee when their two-year-old needed a liver transplant, they had to resort to outlandish methods to get her to Chicago—and fast!
It goes without saying that most parents would do anything to ensure the safety of their children. This is especially true in the case of a medical emergency.
Every parent knows that getting their child to proper medical care is one of their most important jobs… even if that means using rather unconventional methods.
Nick and Jesse Faris adopted two children, one daughter named Rhet from Ethiopia and Brooklyn was from China. Last winter, the Nick, and Jesse were in desperate need to get their daughter, Brooklyn, to the Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago.
Brooklyn suffers from Alagille syndrome, a genetic disorder that is capable of affecting the heart, liver, and other organs. For that reason, she’s been in need of a liver transplant for more than half of her short life.
So when the Faris family received the call that the Lurie Children’s Hospital in Chicago, Illinois, had a liver available, they knew they had to do whatever it took to get there. There was just one problem: a major blizzard was headed their way…
Nick and Jesse had only adopted Brooklyn from an agency in China 12 months earlier. They had hoped that moving her to live with them in Memphis would give her a fighting chance to survive her unfortunate medical circumstances.
So getting that call that Brooklyn’s name was on the top of the transplant list was just the miracle they were looking for. They were going to do whatever it took to get her to the Lurie Children’s Hospital.
During the winter of 2016, the Faris family was on a super tight schedule, and one of the family member’s lives depended on it. Nick and Jessee Faris of Memphis, Tennessee, were traveling with their two-year-old daughter Brooklyn. Brooklyn needed to reach the Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago by the following morning since she was receiving a liver transplant.
But a winter storm passed through, closing roads and canceling flights. There was no hope that the flights would be rescheduled for the morning.
Mum Jessie, who along with Dad Nicholas adopted Brooklyn from China, said: "When they said there was a blizzard, I think I just thought, it doesn't matter what it takes, we are going to get there, who knows when this opportunity will come again.
"We will get there, someone's got to help us."
As they prayed for a miracle, someone in their community called delivery company FedEx and begged for help.
Dad Nicholas said they were told to be at the airport in 30 minutes.
"We did and there was a corporate jet waiting for us, that was fuelled up and ready to go. "
Nick and Jesse posted a message on Brooklyn’s page. They were desperate and willing to do just about anything to get Brooklyn from Memphis to Chicago. They sealed the message by stating “Prayers for the family’s travel are very appreciated!” and waited for someone—anyone—to respond.
That’s when a friend of the family’s, named John Carroll, decided he had to help them in a unique way. He contacted a local children’s hospital, who in turn contacted the shipping company FedEx; they typically fly even when commercial flights are down.
When the local hospital reached out to FedEx to inquire whether or not they were flying through the blizzard, they got some good news. They had deemed the weather safe enough to travel, and they were going to continue flights as scheduled.
This was incredible news for Nick and Jesse. “They called and said if we could get to the airport in 30 minutes, they could fly us free on one of their corporate jets,” Jesse said about FedEx stepping in to help them in their time of need.
Patrick Fitzgerald, senior vice president of integrated marketing and communications at FedEx, told NBC Chicago: "When we learned of the extraordinary circumstances and extreme urgency of the situation with Brooklyn, we knew we had to do something.
“Thankfully, we had the network and resources available to make it happen for this family in our hometown of Memphis.
"The entire FedEx family is pulling for a quick and full recovery for Brooklyn.”
“I do remember looking at Nick, and we were just shaking our heads because it was completely surreal the entire afternoon and evening events,” Jesse said.
The Faris family couldn’t believe that, with the help of John Carroll, the local children’s hospital, and FedEx, they were on their way to get Brooklyn the liver transplant that would potentially save her life. It all seemed too good to be true…
Later that same night, the Farises safely arrived in Chicago, thankful for how courteous the FedEx pilot crew had been to them. Best of all, Brooklyn’s surgery was to take place the following morning.
After undergoing a successful 10-hour surgery, Brooklyn had a new liver and a new lease on life. She would spend the following 11 days in the hospital recovering from the operation. For every one of those days, Nick and Jesse couldn’t stop smiling.
Brooklyn is still at Chicago's Luri Children's Hospital.
Riccardo Superina, chief of transplant surgery said she is set for a good recovery.
He said: "I would think at this point really excellent.
"Usually the first 24 hours are the most critical, and in her case, it's gone well."
