A Bettendorf woman got the chance to meet the man she said saved her life.
Several years ago Lori McFate received a bone marrow donation from a German man, Michael Henkel. McFate entered a contest sponsored by Angel Medflight that would connect two people for the holidays. An essay won her the contest and on Saturday, December 28, 2013 the two were able to meet for the first time.
“For me this is one of the most important days of my life,” McFate said. “I am meeting a man who saved my life. For Michael, he is a very humble, very noble man. He acts like you know he would do this at any moment for anyone because it’s the right thing to do.”
Henkel said it has been an indescribable experience.
“I donated bone marrow, just as everybody would donate blood or something like that,” Henkel said. “Now you see the person who survived and who is so thankful for that, it’s amazing.”
To top off the experience, Angel Medflight supplied Henkel with some home-grown souvenirs, like Iowa Hawkeye gear.