Dedication & Miracles

2024 Community Champion Winner - Abby Gray

The transplant and donation community is made up of many different groups and individuals, from the recipient to the donor family, doctors, and OPOs. However, there is one group that is often overlooked and under-appreciated: the Caregiver. Caregivers allow transplantation to be possible. They are the rocks, the advocates, and the dedicated champions a recipient needs to receive their transplant. They often become some of the strongest proponents and voices in the donation community as they know the power of organ, eye, and tissue donation as it has saved their loved ones’ lives. All of this is just a tiny part of the reason CKF is honored to celebrate caregiver, Abby Gray.

Abby’s husband, Reid, was diagnosed with Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis (PSC) soon after they were married. This came as a massive shock to the couple and would completely change their lives. Just a few short years later, Reid was rushed to the hospital not once but twice for two extremely dangerous infections. The second time, after a spyglass procedure, Reid’s doctor turned to Abby and said, “It is time, he will need a liver transplant.” He explained she needed to call the transplant center and start taking the steps to get him added to the waitlist. Abby was sent into overdrive when she was told there was a 90+% chance that Reid would develop cancer in his bile ducts if he did not receive a transplant soon. They were up against the impossible as individuals can spend anywhere from 30 days to 5 years on the waitlist. Abby did not let this stop her. She went into full-time operation to find Reid a liver, even quitting her job to place 100% of her focus on saving her husband.

Three months later, Abby and Reid received a second and third miracle: their twins arrived and were named Oliver Clayton and Kaylee June. Clayton is in honor of the hero who saved their dad’s life. Clayton’s parents are known as BeBe and Pops to the children and are another set of grandparents! They are welcomed by the Gray family to every family event, and the children often have sleepovers at their house.

Since Reid received his transplant, Abby has continued to use her determination and strength to spread the message of the gift of life by sharing Clayton’s story. She wrote the book, Clayton Sparks Leaves His Mark, with her mother, Dee, as the illustrator. The children’s book encourages children to act in kindness and opens up the conversation about organ donation within families. The book shares the true story of an act of kindness that Clayton Sparks did while he was here on earth. Abby’s work did not stop there. She organizes Team Clayton each year for the Annual Second Chance Run for LifeGift and Donate Life, with over 80 team members participating in 2019! She is an Ambassador of Hope for LifeGift and regularly shares the family’s story at various events. The list continues as she is the Vice Chairman of the Board for the Children’s Transplant Initiative, which works to serve transplant families through housing and financial and emotional support. Finally, she will be releasing a memoir later this year titled Impatiently Waiting for Miracles. It will share their struggles through infertility, chronic illness, and liver transplant.

Abby has inspired thousands nationwide to share their struggles and stand firm in uncertain times. We believe she summed it up best herself: everyone deserves to have someone who fights as hard for them as she fought for Reid!

On day one, Abby began to blog about their experiences. She named the blog, "Impatiently Waiting for a Miracle." Her hope was to assist others in the community who were waiting for a lifesaving transplant and to help eliminate the wait. Reid asked Abby once, "What if someone else needs it worse?" She replied, "Then I just hope they have someone fighting as hard for them as I am going to fight for YOU." Abby continued advocating and caring for Reid as he waited for his lifesaving liver transplant. Abby and Reid were also trying to grow their family, having completed 3 rounds of IVF. Finally, in 2018, Abby was pregnant with twins!! Abby and Reid were told a living donor would be their best bet, and while their friends and family stepped forward and offered, a match could not be found. The need to find a liver for Reid was growing every day, just as their family was getting one step closer to having two new members.

On January 14th, 2019, the Gray family received their miracle, and Reid received his transplant at J.C. Walter Jr. Transplant Center at Houston Methodist. Reid's angel donor was Clayton Sparks from Willis, near Abby's hometown. Clayton had lost his life in a skiing accident, but had made the selfless and heroic decision to become an organ, eye, and tissue donor at the DMV. His mother, Beth Sparks, had written a message saying she was working on donating Clayton’s organs. Reid’s mother in law saw this message and jumped into action. She messaged Beth saying, "I have a son-in-law who desperately needs a new liver. Would you consider a direct donation?” Having seen this message, Beth ran to the doctor and asked if they could make a direct donation. The doctor explained that it does not work that way, and that everything has to line up, including the blood type, size, etc. He encouraged the family not to get their hopes up. But the doctor was proven wrong, and it did work. Everything did match, and Abby and Reid were no longer "impatiently waiting for a miracle." Clayton saved and changed over 80 lives with his decision to become an organ, eye, and tissue donor.