ELIZABETH VARGAS REPORTS ON TWIN BABIES BORN NEEDING HEART TRANSPLANTS
TO LIVE � AND THE FAMILY WHO HELPED SAVE ONE BY GIVING THE GIFT OF LIFE --
ON ABC NEWS� �20/20,� FRIDAY, APRIL 7
Also: Martin Bashir Reports on New Controversial Book That Suggests
A New Way of Interpreting the Life and Impact of Jesus Christ
Imagine being told that both of your twin babies will be born with a heart defect and will need heart transplants as soon as possible to survive. Then imagine meeting the family whose baby saved the life of one of your own babies. Finally, imagine holding the baby who now has your infant�s heart. Elizabeth Vargas reports on an incredible story of life and death, how a family�s double blessing came with some heartwrenching strings attached and a rare infant organ transplant. �20/20� airs on FRIDAY, APRIL 7 (10:00-11:00 p.m., ET) on the ABC Television Network.
Nicolas and Nathaniel Draper were born on July 11, 2005, both with dilated cardiomyopathy � a heart too weak to do its job. The cardiologist called it �unfathomable� for both babies to have this condition that would require a heart transplant to survive, and both infant boys were put on the heart transplant donor list. Their parents, Nicole and Michael Draper, moved their family from Phoenix to Los Angeles to be near their sons at the UCLA hospital while they patiently waited for the gift of life.
Seven agonizing months later, and across the country in Panama City, Florida, Tracey and Russell York�s seven month old baby, Jordan � whom they called a miracle baby � lost his life. The York�s quickly made the decision to donate their baby�s organs to help save the lives of other babies. �It would really help me if his heart, you know, could go to someone� it�s your heart and soul,� said Tracey.
On February 16 of this year, Dr. Mark Plunkett performed the heart transplant surgery on Nick. After complications, major setbacks and touch-and-go conditions, Nick finally went home with his new heart. ABC News has had exclusive access to the Draper family while they waited for the donor heart, while they awaited the results of the surgery, and then when something unusual happened � they met the donor family and the donor family met the recipient of their son�s heart. Organ donor families rarely meet the receiver of their loved one�s gift, but Tracey York was a grieving mom on a mission. �If I just put my heart or my hand on his chest and feel Jordan�s heart beating, that�s good enough for me,� she tells Vargas. And what do you say to the mother who has lost her baby? The twins� mom, Nicole, tells Vargas: �We talked about what amazing people we thought they were� And what strength to make something positive out of such a difficult situation.� �20/20� is also there when the Drapers took their baby home for the first time. They are still awaiting another heart for Nick�s brother, Nate.
Also: The holy land of Israel � it�s where scholars, historians and believers say the events of the first century that helped shape the creation of Christianity occurred: the Virginal birth and the bodily resurrection of Jesus. Or did they? As ABC News� Martin Bashir reports, a new controversial book by historian Dr. James Tabor titled �The Jesus Dynasty� challenges every one of these cornerstones of Christianity. Dr. Tabor is an historian based in the Religion Studies Department at UNC Charlotte, and has spent his entire career studying the life of Jesus. Using ancient texts and his own archeological research, Dr. Tabor claims that Christians have got it wrong even on the very fundamentals of their faith. �20/20� journeys to Israel with Dr. Tabor to put his claims to the test. Bashir also talks to Dr. Donald Carson, a historian from Trinity International University in Illinois and an expert in New Testament History, who takes exception to many of Tabor�s assertions in his book.
�20/20� is anchored by Elizabeth Vargas and John Stossel. David Sloan is the executive producer.
|