Apples from Heaven

By Brent Vaughan and Kathy Vaughan

Brent William Vaughan was the firstborn son of Bill and Kathy Vaughan, and he came into this world on Easter Sunday, March 26, 1989. Yet shortly after his birth, young Brent was diagnosed with a terminal heart condition, leaving his parents the overwhelming task of deciding whether or not to put Brent on a list for a new heart.

In Apples from Heaven, author and mother Kathy Vaughan shares her intimate reflections on her son Brents life as he prepared to be one of the youngest heart transplant recipients in the world. Woven into Kathys heartfelt narrative are Brents own words, which she discovered in a touching autobiography he wrote in sixth grade shortly before his passing. Kathy now finishes Brents story in Apples from Heaven, a story of faith and trust in God, the only source of strength and comfort in times of difficulty and loss.

Brents life was characterized by a passion and a desire to experience all that he could. His clever wit and his appetite for learning made him a joy to be around. When Brent was faced with the devastating news of a failing heart at the age of twelve, he truly lived out his mottoto enjoy the time he had left. His faith in Jesus securely held him through his last nine months, and it gave those closest to him the ability to go on after he died.

• Language: English
• Publisher: WestBow Press
• Release date: Jul 9, 2018
• ISBN: 9781973627227

Brent Vaughan

Brent Vaughan was the firstborn son of Kathy Vaughan, a wife and mother of five amazing children. Kathy is also an elementary school teacher and a growing artist, and her faith in Jesus was challenged shortly after Brent was born with a defective heart. While she questioned why this was so, Kathy was able to find strength in Gods Word and comfort in his response. Although the journey hasnt been easy, Kathy still finds joy in life as she grows in her faith and continues to heal after the loss of Brent. Finding Brents autobiography a year after his death ignited her desire to share Gods story, and so with Brent she co-authored Apples from Heaven.

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Copyright © 2018 Brent Vaughan and Kathy Vaughan.

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ISBN: 978-1-9736-2723-4 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-9736-2722-7 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2018905266

WestBow Press rev. date: 7/2/2018

Contents

1. When I Was Born: Congratulations, You Have a Baby Boy

2. My Early Years: Hi Dad

3. My Family: Control Yourself; You’re the Grown-up!

4. Early School Days: I Knew You’d Come

5. My School Life: Boiling Eggs

6. My Social Life: Bike Riding, Basketball Camp, and Piano Lessons

7. Talents: That Was My Part

8. My Future My Greatest Wish

9. I Am: Forever Changed

10. My Favorite Things: What I Miss Most

Dear Brent,

I’ve tried several times to write your story, never knowing exactly where to start. It was about a year after you died, while cleaning the home office, that I came across your autobiography. You remember—it’s the one you wrote in Mrs. McHugh’s class. I’m embarrassed to admit, but I never knew you wrote it. Only after reading it did things became clear as to why you asked me so many questions about our family. I still remember standing at the kitchen sink telling you story after story. It was fun to share those stories with you. I’m so glad that sixth grade was your favorite school year, and I too was disappointed when it ended. You always came home and got everyone excited about the things you were learning, and as a result, Nick and Justin became super-excited about the teachers at school. I am thankful for that. Well, after reading your autobiography, I decided to use it as an outline to help guide my thoughts and finish writing your story. I really miss you, Brent. You were a boy who was truly passionate about living. Your example of someone who trusted God was inspiring to everyone who knew you, especially me. Most remarkably was when you got the devastating news of your failing health at the age of twelve that your enthusiasm continued. I am honored to be able to share your passion, your perspective, and God’s incredible power that never stopped shining through you. Being your mom has challenged me to grow in so many crazy ways, and I am grateful to tell the insights I have learned from you. Thanks for letting Jesus’s love shine through you always. I’m looking forward to seeing you again and to spending eternity with you in heaven.

Love,

Mom

1. When I Was Born: Congratulations, You Have a Baby Boy

Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

—Philippians 4:6–7 NIV

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Brent as a baby

Hi. My name is Brent Vaughan. I was born on Easter Sunday, March 26, 1989. The doctor noticed something wrong with my heart. On Monday, I was transferred to a downtown-Chicago hospital that specialized in taking care of critically ill children. There, doctors gave my parents the bad news that I had only two weeks to live unless I received a new heart. My heart was missing the left ventricle. My parents put me on a waiting list for a new heart from an organ donor. On Monday, April 3, 1989, I received a new heart through a transplant. After that, my parents and I lived in a small town until June 1991, the year my brother was born. Then we lived with my grandparents until our new house was built. We moved into it in December of 1991. It’s been fun living in our house. At our house, we lived so close to Jewel Osco that we called it our pantry. I could also ride my bike to the school, the library, and my grandparents’ house. I was very thankful that I could see my grandparents almost any time I want.

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It’s true; Brent was born on March 26, 1989, at 11:36 a.m. That day just so happened to be Easter Sunday. I had been looking forward to the Easter celebration at our church. I was a bit disappointed when my labor finally started for real the night before, even though I was ten days past due and feeling very uncomfortable. This was the part of becoming a mom that terrified me. Bill and I had taken birthing classes and believed we knew what to expect, but the thought of actually giving birth was not my idea of a good time. To be perfectly honest, I wasn’t feeling ready to be a mom either. Bill and I hadn’t planned to start our family so soon. Shortly after our wedding, we decided to wait at least five years before we had children. So, after being married for not quite a year, we were shocked to learn that I was pregnant. Looking back, neither one of us felt excited about having a baby; we had so many plans. Our trip to Europe was a dream Bill really wanted to fulfill, and a house in which to raise our children was nowhere in sight. We knew that once kids came along, I would stay at home and become a full-time mom. We thought we would never be able to reach our goals, and selfishly, we both became a little resentful and scared.

The birth was more stressful than Bill and I had imagined. The birthing classes made childbirth seem so beautiful and serene. I’d have to say my experience looked more like an episode of CSI. I was in excruciating pain, and the baby’s heart rate dropped suddenly. I refused all pain medication because I was afraid of the side effects on the baby. I resolved to endure the delivery naturally. It didn’t sound or look natural, but it was… and the second Brent was born, the pain stopped.

Congratulations, you have a baby boy! the medical staff said to me.

I’ll never forget seeing him that very first moment. His hands stretched out wide, as if he was grabbing all that life could offer. His