That day had been one of the most frightening for all of them.

In all, fourteen people had been shot in the robbery. Six of those shot had been killed. They never found the killers.

Ren’s heart went out to the families of the other victims. She understood loss and couldn’t bear to think of losing Lee, or what it would mean for Eileen and the kids.

Fortunately, Lee recovered and went back to work while helping the detectives on the case who’d visited him often with their questions about the crime.

Months after the robbery Lee went to the hospital for one of his follow-up appointments. He told them he had a few cramps, that he’d seemed to get easily tired, that his skin itched, and he was always thirsty. After the doctors ran a number of tests they saw something that had nothing to do with his gunshot wounds. They ran more tests and that’s when everything turned upside-down.

One of Lee’s kidneys was not working properly. He had kidney disease.

Eileen and Ren were devastated but Lee stood strong.

That was his way.

Quiet and resolute.

“You got to play with the cards you’re given,” he said.

He remained positive for Eileen and the kids.

But in a short time his condition had worsened and the doctors told him that he had End Stage Renal Failure. He needed a new kidney, or he would ultimately die. They put him on a state waiting list for a donor. Until then, he had to undergo dialysis, to do the work of his failing kidney, three times a week with the knowledge that the chances for longer-term survival for dialysis patients his age and condition were around twenty-five to thirty-five percent.

So much went through Ren’s mind during that time.

She’d worried about Lee, then there was the impact his condition had on Eileen and the kids, the challenge of getting Lee to the hospital three times a week and the struggle to maintain his job. He had a good health plan and Ren was ready to help out in every way.

Lee appeared to accept his diagnosis.

On the surface he seemed at peace with it. But Ren never really knew what he was thinking. Then one day, about a month after he’d first got the news, they were alone in his hospital room and he opened up to her.

“Mom, I’m afraid for Brett, Lisa, and Jack, because I know what it’s like to lose your dad. I’m worried about Eileen and the kids. They deserve to have a good life, if I don’t make it.”

“Don’t talk like that. You’re going to make it. We’re going to get through this, things are going to work out, you’ll see.”

“How do you know?”