Jeff had asked me to go sign my book for a family, so I walked over and gently asked if they had a boy or a girl.

They told me, “A boy. He’s had a transplant, and he’s not doing well.”

I asked, “What kind of transplant?”

They said, “A liver.”

I froze. No way. My daughter also had a liver transplant.

“May I ask why he needed a transplant?” I asked.

They said, “A rare genetic disorder.”

Now it was getting stranger.

I said, “My daughter had a rare genetic disorder too. Which one?”

They answered, “A urea cycle disorder.”

My heart leapt. What?

I said, “My daughter was transplanted because of Citrullinemia—also a urea cycle disorder.

Which one did your son have?” They said, “OTC.”

At that moment, I told them, “You have to meet my daughter. She’s turning 32.”

They were amazed—“That’s older than us!”—and I reminded them, this is such a God thing.

And it truly was. Because right there with me was Tresa, the executive director of the

National Urea Cycle Disorders Foundation.

Even more extraordinary, her daughter Lexie—who also had a liver transplant

for OTC—was at the event as well.

For over an hour, Victoria, Lexie, Tresa, and I were able to speak with this family

in a way no one else ever had. Because urea cycle disorders are so rare,

they had carried their questions in silence—until they met us, and suddenly,

there was a shared language and they were no longer alone. 

Later, I learned the whole family had flown in that very day to say goodbye to their little boy,

in case he didn’t survive. He had suffered severe complications—sepsis after transplant

because the bowel hadn’t been reconnected properly.

They were desperate for answers. They asked Tresa about ammonia levels,

about hospitalizations, about surgeries.

I told them how I had written in detail about those first-year battles with Torrey in my book.

Seeing two transplanted urea cycle “kids” thriving, and being able to connect with Tresa,

gave them something they hadn’t had before: reassurance, resources, and hope.

And because of that divine meeting, Connor and Natalie returned to their son with something

new in their hearts—hope.

Their little boy, Luka, turns one on September 21.