The Christmas holiday tends to bring out the best in humankind, providing an opportunity to demonstrate in a tangible way a spirit of generosity towards those who mean the most to us through the exchange of presents.
But not all gifts are equal.
There are some that simply cannot be found through scrolling on Amazon or meandering through the aisles at your local shopping mall, gifts so sacrificial that they leave the recipient in awe and speechless.
Will Bratton can certainly testify to this sentiment. The Nashville, Tennessee, resident received the priceless treasure of hope through the donation of the gift of life by his close friend and co-worker Ryan Terry in early December.
One week after Terry capped his stellar amateur season by being named Men’s Player of the Year and Mid-Amateur of the Year by the Tennessee Golf Association, the 33-year-old former Lipscomb University star opted to donate a kidney to Bratton. The pair first met when embarking upon their careers at a Nashville wealth management firm a decade ago.
Bratton, 41, has battled polycystic kidney disease for the past 20 years knowing that a transplant was likely at some point, having witnessed his father endure a similar fate. However, the aggressive nature of Bratton’s symptoms narrowed the window of needing a new kidney or else facing dialysis, a sobering reality for the married father of two young daughters.