We adopted Abrian in 1979. From his records his birthdate was
March 7th, 1979, My birthday! Yet he came to us like a angel
from India on Apirl 21st, 1979. We named him Abrian Connor
MacDonland. Bri, for short. He was a quite baby with huge
brown eyes. Abrian always had a smile upon his face. Yet the
doctors found something wrong with our new addtion.
Abrian had Atrioventricular Septal Defect. Which can be
described as a large hole(s) in the heart. This complex defect
is best middle of the heart. It results from a lack of
separation of the atria and the ventricles into separate
chambers, and a lack of separation of the mitral and tricuspid
valves into two separate valves. Therefore there is a large
connection between the two atria, between the two ventricles,
and a single atrioventricular (or AV) valve, whereas there
should be separate mitral and tricuspid valves. A very
complex defect indeed! The defect is named an atrioventricular
septal defect, or AVSD. An old name for this defect is an
atrioventricular canal defect, or AV canal for short. Our
son also had a large heart mumor. From an early age on, Bri
had to be careful of what he did. Nothing could be over done,
or fear of heart failer.
At age 3, our little Abrian had open heart surgery for the
first time to try and fix the 2 large holes in his heart.
He pulled through pretty good and seemed healthly. Abrian
was a religous little fellow, who strongly believed in god.
He would attend church and Sunday school every week. He always
had something good to say about every person. Never once did
I hear him say something mean about someone.
When Abrian entered school he was 5, he was dianosed with a
learning disability. He would stuggle just to stay with the
other students. Plus, his heart begain to fail again. He was
not allowed to play any contact sports with the other childern
nor be very active. He was taking up to 20 pills a day to keep
his little body going. Doctors were planning another open heart
surgery. Yet Abrian had faith that everything was going to be
ok. He would pray every night that he would grow up strong and
live life to its fullest.
Abrian's second surgery would prove to be very helpful! Abrian
finally was allowed to be a little more active. He gained many
close friends that would forever be his best friends. Abrian
was the most happiest little boy.
In 1986, we would adopt yet another child from India. A little
girl, whom we named Shanneil Marice. Abrian would fall deeply in
love with his new sister and become the best big brother. He
would wait on her and treat her like royalty. You could have
asked Shanneil anytime who was the person she loved the most and
looked up to, she would tell you "My big brother Abrian.."
Through the years Bri would continue his faith in god. He even
joined the church choir. In high school Abrian was confirmed
into the Christin faith and than became a teacher of god, with
weekly bible studies and Sunday school. Besides his involement
in church Abrian also was a peertutor, hospital voulenteer and
a co-editor of his school news paper. Bri would receive a 3.7
grade point adverage and be on the honor roll. He was also
captain of his schools swim team, making trips to state his
sophmore-senior year. He had high goals for his future. Abrian
wanted so badly to become a teacher and help others with
learning disabilities. He knew the hard work he put through to
beat his own and he wished to show others it could be done.
Abrian's heart begain failing again in May of his senior year.
Doctors placed Abrian on a heart transplant list. Bri would
spend many days in the hospital. There he met a little girl by
than name of Samantha, with a heart defect a lot like his own.
He shared a room with Sam many times and became quite close to
her. She was the same blood type and everything.
Graduation soon came. Abrian was to weak to even walk across the
stage. His sister pushed him across the stage in a wheel chair.
The school would stand and cheer. Abrian had warmed the hearts
of all that knew him.
A year later Bri's heart was really failing and he knew it.
Yet so was Samantha's. When a heart came in the middle of June
1999, matching his and Samantha's blood type... Abrian made a
choice that would forever change the lifes of everyone that knew
him. He gave up the chance to live, for Samantha. He gave the
heart to Sam. Bri would die soon afterwards in June. Samantha's
family would forever be thankful. And Sam is doing good now.
But...my angel is in heaven. Abrian Connor MacDonland, died on
June 18th, 1999 at the age of 20. No one would ever forget the
warm kind heart my son had.
Quotes
Abrian-
" Kindness comes from even a broken down old heart."
His sister Shanneil-
" Abrian is and forever will be my hero."
Samantha,the little girl with a new heart-,
" The gift Abrian gave, will
beat inside of me and he will truly live on."
Abrian's best friend,Kim-,
" True friends are hard to come by, I am glad I
found mine in Bri."
Greg, a friend of Bri's-,
" I never met someone with such a big heart, like
Bri's."
Copyright © 2000 Rayanne McDonland. All Rights Reserved.
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