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Two mothers forever bonded after heart donation

Two families will forever be bonded by one song and one heart. The story began about eight years ago when Holly Campbell of New York birthed her son, Jake. Jake...

Two families will forever be bonded by one song and one heart.

The story began about eight years ago when Holly Campbell of New York birthed her son, Jake. Jake was 11 weeks old when his father found him not breathing. After Jake's father and paramedics performed CPR, they were able to get his heart beating again. But once Jake arrived at the hospital, doctors told his parents he had no brain activity.

Saying her last goodbyes to her son, Holly sang "For Good" from Wicked.

Holly recalled one of the darkest days in her life, "We said, 'what can we do to make the best of the worst possible situation.'"

Two mothers forever bonded after heart donation

The Campbell's decided to donate their son's organs. Little did they know, a new-born boy in Iowa was in dire need of a heart.

Beckham Scadlock was born with a congenital heart condition called Mitral Valve Stenosis, a rare disease in which the mitral valve is narrowed and stiffened. Doctors placed Beckham on a waiting list for a heart, but his parents were worried they wouldn't find one in time.

"We only could just pray that if someone were to lose a child that they would make the decision to donate their child's organs," Scadlock said, as she addressed dozens of people in the Colloton Pavilion Lobby at the University of Iowa Hospital.

Their worries were soon dismissed.

After being on full life support, Beckham received his heart, a heart donated from the Campbell's son who had just passed away. While Beckham was healing from his operation, Kim would sing to him. Coincidentally, she sang him the song "For Good" from Wicked. That was the last song Holly sang to her son Jake.

Two mothers forever bonded after heart donation

Both families were able to meet a few years later. They shared stories of loss and gain, but learned they had both sang the same song to their sons throughout the donation process.

"We realized that was the first and last song that little heart had ever heard and it was amazing," Kim said.

On Friday, May 29, 2015, both moms stood side-by-side at the University of Iowa Hospital, singing "For Good" in front of dozens of teary-eyed spectators. The tune of a piano played as the duet fought through tears, singing the song that bonded the two families.

At the end of the emotional performance, both mothers hugged as the audience clapped. It's a moment and a story both moms agree have changed their lives for good.

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