When 13-year-old Damien suddenly told his teacher he would no longer be coming to school, Finn Lanning became puzzled and sought out the truth.
As it turns out Damien was very sick and needed a kidney transplant but there was one major obstacle stopping him from remaining on the kidney transplant list.
And once Lanning began to uncover the truth about Damien’s situation – he made a bold move that no one saw coming.
Damien lived in foster care, but due to the expenses of his disease he kept getting put back in the system.
Because his condition was so severe, Damien had to stay at the hospital for up to 12 hours a day undergoing kidney dialysis.
But the problem is – not having parents caused a problem.
Although Damien was on the kidney transplant list, due to his unstable home without parents, he wasn’t able to remain on the list while in the hospital.
It turns out it was “too much a risk” to have Damien on the list while living at the hospital.
So when young Damien told his teacher he wasn’t coming back to school anymore, and his teacher discovered the dire circumstances, he began to act.
It started with Lanning visiting him in the hospital which developed into a stronger bond.
Scary Mommy reported:
“I learned more about his story and what he was facing and what his needs were and why they weren’t being met, it just became really hard for me to look the other way,” he said.
Lanning decided to take Damien into his own home and amazing progress has already started snowballing.
“A couple months later, Damien is now living with me, going back to school, and was just recently relisted on the kidney transplant list,” Lanning said. “Over the last several months, I have taken much time off of work to be trained to care for his special medical and dietary needs, as much of this care occurs in the home.”
Instead of letting Damien remain abandoned and in need, this hero teacher took him in and cared for his needs.
And he didn’t do it for attention or praise – he did it because he simply saw a need one of his students had, and met it.
And Lanning’s brave actions have saved Damien’s life.
Because Damien now had a stable home, he went from “off the list” straight to the top.
Fox 31 News reported;
“It’s going good. Like, I got my own room now,” Damien said.
He has also been moved to the top of the waiting list for a new kidney. He is hoping he can have the transplant within the next two weeks.
In addition to a second chance at life, he is also getting a second chance at having a family.
“We’re planning on just staying together. Hoping for adoption, probably,” Damien said.
Courage is doing the right thing in tough circumstances.
And this teacher’s bold example of love and bravery should inspire us all that ordinary people can do great things to change the world.
With so many stories of rogue teachers working political agendas or using children as pawns in a larger political game, it’s encouraging to see a goodhearted teacher who truly just wanted the best for his student.
Do you think Lanning made the right decision to adopt Damien?
What words of encouragement would you like to leave for Lanning and Damien?
Tell us your thoughts in the comments below.
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