Awesome - 4-Year-Old Reveals Dad’s Secret to His Teacher, Who Immediately Calls Her Boss to Request Time Off
This child's father never suspected his son to speak so candidly to his elementary school teacher, who usually didn't hear many intimate details of the lives of her students' parents. She was shocked by what she heard and immediately called the father to inquire if what she heard was true.
Nancy Was a Beloved Teacher
This is Nancy Bleuer. Her students call her "Miss Nancy." She's a preschool teacher at Charlie Brown Preschool & Childcare in Mason City. Some people might think that being a teacher is a pretty easy job, but that couldn't be further from the truth. Nancy has to take care of dozens of children every day and sometimes that includes hearing an earful about every detail of their lives.
Camden Was an Ideal Student
This is Camden. He's four. What a smile! But one day in class, that smile was gone. Something was wrong and Nancy could tell immediately that Camden wasn't his usual chipper self. It's normal for a kid to have a bad day or two, but when Camden's mood didn't improve after a few days, Nancy knew that she needed to find out what was the matter with Camden.
Getting to the Bottom of His Bad Mood
After a few days of Camden's sour mood, Nancy pulled him aside and asked what was going on. What Camden had to say was shocking.
He told Nancy that he used to have a lot of fun outings with his father; the two of them went out to dinner together, visited amusement parks on the weekends and watched their favorite movies, like "Frozen" and "Moana" after school. But, the young boy noted, all of that would have to come to an end soon. Why did Camden think that was the case?
The Confession Was Bizarre
Camden continued to talk about how he would soon have no more time with his dad, and how worried he was about his father's future. What could have been going on at home that would cause Camden's father to leave his family? Nancy could have let it go, but she didn't. She decided to call Camden's father, Darreld Petersen, and get to the bottom of things.
His Answers Made Her Leave Her Job
Nancy called Darreld to inquire about his son, but what she would find out from him would cause her to not only finally understand what Camden was trying to tell her, but inspire her to take an extended leave from her job.
Sick Father
What Darreld told Nancy was that he was sick, and not just with a flu or the cold. Darreld had been diagnosed with a life threatening disease called IgA nephropathy. It's also known as Berger's disease. With IgA, immunoglobin A builds up in the kidneys. This leads to inflammation that can cause tissue damage, and ultimately lead to death. This upset Nancy so much, that she immediately called her boss.
From Bad to Worse
Darreld was diagnosed in 2010. By 2016, things were getting serious. He ended up in the ER and upon following up with his doctor, he noticed something. Something that would make Nancy request some time off immediately after she found out about it.
The Prognosis Was Grim
Darreld's hemoglobin count was low. His doctor sent him for a biopsy, which revealed that he had 20% kidney function. His kidney failure was so serious that he may need a transplant to save his life, and that is just where Nancy comes in.
Getting Desperate
Darreld was hospitalized for a week and immediately had to go on dialysis. He was getting treatments three days a week for four hours a day when Camden let his teacher know what was going on after his upset outbursts at school. But what could his teacher do about his father's life-threatening condition?
Waiting for a Transplant
Darreld would need a kidney transplant. Friends tried to help, but it didn't work out. "I had friends and family come forward who wanted to donate, but these didn't work out, for medical reasons or other reasons," he said. Petersen was placed on a waiting list for a transplant. He was warned it could take months, or even years, to find a donor.
Her Response Shocked Everyone
When Nancy heard Darreld's story, she simply thought, 'No wonder little Camden was so worried!' But what she did next was truly astounding. Bleuer wanted to donate her kidney to Camden's father and save his life. She immediately called her boss for time off so she could find out if she was a viable match.
A Heart of Gold
“She was like, ‘I want to donate. What do I have to do?’” said Darreld. He was floored. But to Nancy, it made sense.“I had a co-worker who, years ago, had donated a kidney to someone in her church,” she said. It was after that event that Nancy put donating a kidney onto her bucket list.
'The Right Thing To Do'
“It was an important part of her life’s journey, and that was inspirational to me," continued Nancy. "When I heard about Darreld and Camden’s situation, it just felt like the right thing to do.” The offer was beyond generous. How was Petersen going to respond?
Only the Beginning
At first, he was unsure whether to accept it. Darreld gave in after he was met with Nancy's insistence. But her journey was only just beginning. She still had many steps to go through before the donation could happen.
A Match?
First, doctors had to know if Nancy was a match for Darreld. Luckily, bloodwork showed that she was. "I was really excited about it," Nancy said. "I was ecstatic." The next step was scheduling the procedure, which is when it hit Nancy that this was really happening.
Preparing Was an Ordeal
But being a match isn't enough. After that, Nancy underwent months of testing as well as counseling. Transplants are serious procedures. Doctors needed to confirm she was ready to donate, both physically as well as emotionally.
The Go-Ahead
After months of tests and preparation, Bleuer had news for Petersen. Everything was ready to go. "He looked stunned at first," Nancy said. "It took a minute to sink in, but then he hugged me and I knew: OK, he gets it!"
So Grateful
Darreld did his best to thank Nancy. "The day he found out, I said, 'We're on, it's a go,'" said Nancy. "Then, he came over and hugged me and he said, 'Oh my gosh.'" He even brought her flowers. "Here was Darreld and his son with a dozen huge roses and I'm crying but of course, it was very nice," she said.
The Procedure
The two went in for their procedures on June 1 of 2017. The procedures were performed at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics. A team of talented doctors, nurses, and surgeons made it happen. After a week, the two were cleared to go home.
Grateful to Hospital Staff
Petersen is very grateful to the staff who made these procedures possible. “I cannot speak enough about the surgeons, the nurses, and all the staff,” Darreld said. “Just such a positive and supportive environment. You could tell that every person wanted to be there for you.”
Grateful to Miss Nancy
But, most of all, Darreld is grateful to the woman who made it all possible. He's still not sure how to put it into words. “How do you ever thank someone for saving your life?” he asked. It's an unbelievable gift.
'A Second Chance'
“It’s just amazing. There are people waiting every day for a kidney, for an organ in general. I wish there were more people like her. She’s giving me a second chance at life,” Darreld said.
Camden Gets His Dad Back
Camden also understands what this gesture means. “He said, 'You’re going to make my dad better and live a long time,’” Nancy said. “That just melts your heart.” Thanks to his teacher, Camden can go to school unburdened with worrying about his father's health.
For Now, and Years to Come
Nancy's gift is one that will stay with Darreld and Camden for years. "It was a very cool response and it's good to know that I'll be able to go to Camden's high school graduation one day and talk about this and think, 'Well, that was crazy,'" she said. Nancy has given father and son something truly precious.
Awareness for Organ Donation
Petersen hopes that by sharing his story, he can raise awareness for organ donation. Currently, there are 93,000 people waiting for a kidney transplant. For some, the wait will be more than 10 years. To become an organ donor, click here.
She Was Trained to be Alert
Denice Miracle was an American Airlines agent at the Sacramento International Airport in California. She was trained to be on the lookout for anything suspicious because she never knew what the day would bring. But she certainly wasn’t expecting to become a literal miracle.
She Had Years of Experience
Miracle told Today that she had been working as a customer service agent for about 28 years. So, her years of experience gave her a sixth sense when something was wrong, and she sensed danger. But was she in danger? For that matter, was the entire airport in trouble?
Two Young Teens Approached
Two teenage girls walked up to her counter. There was nothing unusual about this. She saw dozens of customers every day. But there was something not quite right about these two, and the warning signs were right in front of her.
There Were No Adults Present
Any minor can access the internet and purchase a plane ticket if they can get their hands on a credit card. They can even fly unaccompanied. But despite this, Miracle found it odd that these teens had no parents with them, but that wasn’t the only red flag.
There Were Other Red Flags
The parental units were nowhere in sight, but the teens, 15 and 17 years old at the time, didn’t have any form of identification either. But TSA only states that adult passengers 18 and over must show valid identification at the airport checkpoint to travel. And yet there was still something else that didn’t sit right with Miracle.
They Had One-Way Tickets
Miracle took a look at their tickets. Each of them had a one-way first-class ticket. “They were young and by themselves. It’s unusual to get teens traveling that far by themselves,” she told “Today.” And then she noticed something even stranger.
She Thought They Were Runaways
They had no huge luggage, which was odd given that they were traveling all the way from California to New York. “Between the two of them, they had a bunch of small bags. It seemed to me as if they were running away from home,” Miracle told The Independent.
They Were Texting Someone
“One of the girls was texting someone on the phone to get answers,” Miracle told "Today." Was she talking to her mom and dad? That certainly disproved the running away from home theory. Her gut was telling her that she wasn’t texting her parents. But if it wasn’t them, then who?
They Looked Very Nervous
Miracle told CBS13 Sacramento, “The way they kept looking back-and-forth at each other like they weren’t really sure.” But there was still one more thing in the girls’ possessions that made her follow her instincts.
The Tickets Weren’t Right
Miracle inspected the girls’ tickets from Sacramento to New York which were bought online. But the credit card was under a different name. So, she turned to her supervisor to share her concerns. And then they took action.
She Told Her Supervisor to Go
“It was a first-class ticket; it was very expensive. I told a supervisor go to call the sheriff that it just doesn’t feel right. It just didn’t feel right,” she told CBS13 Sacramento. Once the cops arrived, the mystery started to unravel.
Cops Arrived to Lend a Hand
Authorities from the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Department Airport Bureau arrived to address Miracle’s concern. And that’s when they learned the real reason why the teens were traveling all the way to New York.
They Were Invited to Model
It turns out that Drey, a guy they met online, had invited the teens to New York City for the weekend to perform in music videos and to model. They were offered $2,000 in exchange for their services. So, the cops’ next step was to find Drey.
They Didn’t Know the Trip Was One-Way
The teens never realized their tickets were one-way, but authorities suspected why Drey had made it so. However, when they tried to reach out to him through Instagram, Drey deleted his account. But the reason why he had tried luring those girls sent chills down Miracle’s spine.
It Was a Child Trafficking Case
Sacramento County Sheriff’s Sergeant Scott Swisher confirmed that this was a suspected case of child trafficking. But there were a lot of things about Drey that just didn’t add up, and cops were completely stumped during their investigation.
Drey Went Off the Grid
"We don't believe his real name was Drey," Swisher told Today. To make matters worse, Drey had allegedly used a Google phone number, which made it impossible to track him down. But things could have turned out very differently.
They Were Finally Home
The teenage girls were returned home, but that wouldn’t have been the case had Miracle not trusted her instincts. “Miracle’s quick thinking may have saved the girls from serious harm,” American Airlines general manager Aleka Turner told Today. But Miracle’s actions didn’t surprise her one bit.
Miracle Was on the Frontline
“I’m proud of Denice and how she put her training into action to save these children,” Turner said in a statement. She added, “She is a testament to the critical role our frontline team members play each and every day in the operation and the lives of each person they come in contact with.” Then someone very important weighed in.
One Mom Was Very Grateful
Miracle told Today that one of the girl’s mothers eventually contacted her on Facebook. According to her, the mom wrote, “There are no words to express our gratitude to you. Thank you. Because of you, my daughter is home safe with her family where she is loved and belongs.” But Miracle had a few words of her own.
She Felt Good About Her Actions
“It’s just heartwarming. It makes me feel really good, and I’m glad they’re safe,” Miracle told Today in response to the mom’s thank you message. But sadly, what almost happened to these girls wasn’t an isolated incident.
Human Traffickers Are an Ongoing Threat
According to Mary Frances Bowley, the founder of Wellspring Living, an organization dedicated to stopping the exploitation of children, the teens’ experience isn’t rare at all. “That is a typical scenario about how traffickers will lure girls or trick girls into believing there is something better for them using the internet and many different apps,” Bowley told Today. And there’s a reason these girls were targeted.
They Target Specific Girls
Bowley explained that there are specific types of girls these predators go after. "It may be vulnerable girls who may not have the support they need or may have just had an argument with their family who are looking for something … They are looking for someone and somehow to belong,” she said. But how did the parents not know their daughters were missing?
They Tricked Their Parents
The teenagers knew their parents wouldn’t have allowed them to fly to New York all by themselves. So, they came up with a plan. They told their parents that they were spending the night at each other’s home. It was a mistake that could have cost them their freedom or worse.
It Could Have Been Their Final Destination
The teenage girls’ flight could have ended up being their final destination had Miracle not been there to prevent them from flying. Had they been allowed to board the plane without their parent’s knowledge, their lives could have potentially been altered in the worst way possible.
Miracle Was a Total Miracle
It turns out that Miracle really was a miracle for these girls. And authorities hope that what happened to these teens will serve as a lesson for parents to always keep an eye on their children’s social media activities, before someone like Drey lures them into a human trafficking plot.
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