As she strived to cope with the loss of her father, Gail Broeckel chose to celebrate the gift of life. Herb Broeckel was blessed with an extra fourteen years of life due to the donation of a kidney by his niece Shelli Cannon Hill.
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| [L] Shelli Cannon Hill (Kidney Donor) [R] Herb Broeckel |
Ode to Shelli’s Kidney
You were such a little thing,
but you should receive wings
For your giant purpose
extended life brings.
You saved my Dad.
We all were so glad.
Your new life gave hope.
And that’s more than we had.
Extra birthdays we shared,
because Shelli cared.
Now the first one without dad
is rather hard to bare.
So to help remember the time,
we’ll use Dad’s talent of rhyme.
And we’ll treasure a kidney
That was just sublime.
Here’s a way to celebrate, have you heard?
Dad’s birthday is December third.
Practice a random act of kindness.
And feel free to spread the word.
Let a car ahead in line.
That stranger’s coffee?, say “the bill is mine.”
You can honor Shelli’s kidney.
Being kind makes you feel really fine.
So thanks little one…
We appreciate all you’ve done.
Even though we miss Dad.
We sure had a lot of fun
Herb paid the gift of life forward by donating organs after his death on January 5th, 2012. At least three people benefitted from his gift of life. The Washington Regional Transplant Community honored Herb Broeckel’s organ donation by hanging an ornament in his honor on the Tree of Life at the Washington Hospital Center.
Pastor Broeckel’s favorite scriptural passage was Galatians 2:20 which revolves around life giving gifts.
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