I first received a call from Jay Feinberg of the Gift of Life that I was a match the day I was leaving for camp for the summer. Of course, I figured I would go for more tests and they would prove I was not a good match for an eight year old Israeli boy named Alon. But with the help of G-d we got lucky, and I was a perfect match. How could I resist the chance to help save a child's life?

I went through the whole process, and in less than six weeks I was in a hospital bed, donating stem cells while Jay stood by, waiting to catch a plane to Israel where he would deliver my stem cells to Alon. The whole experience was wonderful. I was told I would have to wait a whole year to meet my recipient, but soon enough, there we were hugging onstage in front of hundreds of people at Gift of Life's Partners for Life Gala. The emotions I felt are unexplainable. It was such a merit to have been able to do, what felt like such a little thing. For Alon, it was the greatest gift in the world.

My family and Alon's still keep in touch. Recently, my family and I traveled to Israel. Alon and his parents made the two and a half hour drive to visit us at my sister's home for dinner. It was very emotional. They got to meet a large part of my family. Larissa (Alon's mother) said that she would gladly do it again anytime. "After all", she said, "how can we not come to see you?"

Alon told his teacher that he was taking the day off to see his other mother. Our families have grown very close, and we truly feel like one big family. I am, G-d willing, going back to Israel with my newborn baby soon. Alon and his family are once again coming to visit and I am looking forward to this very much.

We will forever be intertwined and really feel like family. Gift of Life gave us this opportunity and I could only say one thing, Thank You.