Reservist

ISS2 2013

Reservist Magazine is the award-winning official publication of the United States Coast Guard Reserve. Bi-monthly issues include news and feature articles about the men and women who comprise America's premier national maritime safety and security

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donor has the option whether to follow through with the procedure or not. "We were a perfect match and I owe my life to him," said Marcus. Marcus's chances for a successful transplant tremendously increased since she and Franco were a perfect match; meaning that 12 of 12 markers – which are proteins found on most cells in the body – from the donor and recipient aligned. Since the transplant, Marcus was making progress on her road to recovery and enjoying her "new normal life." "I'm thankful every day that I wake up, every single day," Marcus elated. "And that I'm able to have a second experience of being healthy and seeing my husband and my family and just doing normal daily things that people do. I'm very, very grateful to have a second chance at life." Both Marcus and Franco knew very little about one another except for the nature of the illness and the gender and age of each other as "Be the Match" donors and recipients are required to wait a year after the transplant before they can contact each other directly. On the anniversary of the donation, Marcus received a phone call providing a more personal connection to her donor. "It was a once in a lifetime experience," said Marcus describing her initial phone conversation with Franco. "Once I found out that I had a donor and we were a perfect match, I couldn't wait until the year was up." Franco, just as eager to reach out to make the connection to his stem cell recipient, had contacted Marcus while he was deployed overseas to Afghanistan as part of the Coast Guard's Redeployment Assistance and Inspection Detachment team in support of the shipment of materials in and out of war zones. "I wanted to see how everything was going and to see how she was feeling," said Franco. Their conversation flowed naturally relieving any nervousness they felt. The two talked about each other and their families, where they were living and what they were doing, as if they were long-lost friends catching up after years of not talking. Four years after their initial contact, the two met for the first time. "I wanted to make the weekend with Mike very special," said Marcus, now 65, of Franco's visit to West Palm Beach, Fla. "I wanted him to understand how important this was to my folks, my husband, my family and to my friends." It could not have been more picture perfect day. The sun was shining as Marcus, along with her husband and their close friends, waited for Franco's plane to arrive at the terminal. Upon seeing Franco, now 32, walk out of the airport terminal, Marcus hurried over to greet him with a relieved smile and warm hug. "When he got to the airport and I gave him a hug, it was like 'wow', you really are my hero, here you are in the flesh" explained Marcus. "How do you thank somebody who saved your life?" But meeting Marcus face to face for the first time was all the thanks Franco wanted. Reservist Saves Life of Deployed Shipmate Story by Army Sgt. Jonathan Monfletto "Your moment in time is coming," Coast Guard Master Chief Petty Officer Wayne North, senior enlisted leader of Port Security Unit (PSU) 311, told the Coast Guardsmen of PSU 311 on Friday morning. Coast Guard Petty Officer 3rd Class Michael Gavola had his BM3 gavola receives the Cg achievement Medal during a ceremony at guantanamo naval Base, Cuba. Issue 2 • 2013 � RESERVIST 39

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