Woman thankful for second chance after receiving Niles teen's organs

A mother and daughter are thankful today for a second chance at life. ABC 57’s Jess Arnold spoke with one woman who received organs from the Niles teen who died in November.

“My heart dropped. It literally dropped. I was speechless. I just looked at my mom and said, they might have a possible match for me,” said Brittany Scarberry.

That match came from Niles teen Adam Stoops. He committed suicide earlier this fall after being bullied at Niles High School.

 “I’m just kind of lost for words to think about her sorrows. It hurts. And, just being so thankful that I have my daughter back, so it’s bittersweet,” said Brittany’s mother, Colleen Scarberry.

Adam Stoops’ mother Jennifer put in a special request for her son’s organs to go to 28-year-old Brittany, after hearing from a mutual friend that she desperately needed a transplant.

“It started on a Saturday morning. I was at work, and I get a phone call from the office at work--- and at the other end was Carolyn, one of my co-workers,” said Colleen.

“She said I’m not sure Colleen, but pretty sure there’s a good chance that things are going to get better for Brittany,” she said.

She took down Brittany’s full name and the hospital where she was awaiting a transplant.

“Carolyn like I said and her husband has their own church, and Jennifer the mom goes to that church. The whole family does. Carolyn was praying with the whole family, just with the whole Stoops family, all that time during their sadness,” said Colleen.

“I guess Jennifer spoke up about saying donating organs, and Carolyn said well there’s this one girl I know, so Jennifer called the hospital, and put in for Brittany to have his organs,” she said.

“In a way I feel horrible, because something horrible had happened in order for me to live,” said Brittany.

 “When I was ten years old, I had Non-Hodgkins lymphoma, I had to do two years of chemo. From that came the diabetes--From the diabetes, I got the gastroparesis, which is my real bad stomach problems, and then I got the kidney failure,” said Brittany.

“Had to take shots all the time, and just when my sugars would drop. When they would get that low, I’d fall into seizures and just wouldn’t be able to walk, couldn’t do anything, so my mom was basically my caregiver,” she said.

Receiving Adam’s kidneys and pancreas has cured her diabetes.

 “And now, having the new pancreas. Not taking shots or checking my sugars or worrying about my sugars dropping on me or going super high on me. It’s nice,” said Brittany.

So they’re glad there’s an entire day devoted to saying ‘thank you.’

 “For Adam and his family. I know he’s not here, but I know he is here, and I know he’s with his family, so I’m very thankful,” said Brittany.

“I’m just consumed with emotion. I’m just so thankful that this has happened for my daughter. She gets a second chance at a healthier life,” said her mother, Colleen.