Thread: Cornea transplant recipient says 'Thank You Alison'

Cornea transplant recipient says 'Thank You Alison'

Andre Jones’ surgery restored not only his sight but also his confidence, faith and love of music. He had been nearly blind for almost a decade. MORT FRYMAN/THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT


By SUSAN E. WHITE , The Virginian-Pilot
© May 29, 2007



PORTSMOUTH — As a teenager, Andre Jones often practiced for the moment when he would lose his sight. He’d awaken in the early morning hours and clench his eyes shut, beckoning the darkness to remain. The exercise eased his fears.

Yet preparing to see again after almost 10 years of near blindness terrified him. Jones had suffered from a corneal disorder since his teens.

As he sat in a Granby Street medical office last month, worries washed over him. What if the transplant on his left eye hadn’t worked? What if his eye became infected? What if his body rejected the new tissue?

Dr. Vincent Verdi reassured his patient. The surgery had been successful. His left cornea was healing nicely. If everything progressed as expected, a transplant on Jones’ right eye would be possible by summer’s end, Verdi promised. Then, the test.

Audio interview: Hear Andre Jones sing an excerpt of "Thank You, Alison," a song he wrote in appreciation for the young woman whose corneas were used to restore his sight.


Download as mp3


Jones stared forward as two fingers were held up about 15 inches from his face.

“How many do you see?â€

Heartwrenching.
I am so glad that this young man was given the precious gift of sight but at the same time, the tragedy of the loss of those two beautiful young women just heartbreaking.
Thanks for sharing this story with us!
As a nation and as a people, we just do not deserve what is happening to us. I pray for a president who will set things right for our country.
THAT is what we deserve.