INDIANAPOLIS — Nearly eight years ago, a Hoosier four-year-old was in need of a miracle.
Just when her family thought it was over, a family from Montana stepped up, using their tragedy to save a life.
WRTV’s Amber Grigley was there to witness the emotional meet-up to simply say thank you.
“Seeing her grow is the best gift they have ever given us,” Itzel Maya, the mother of Maddy Guzman Maya, said.
Maddy was born with a rare defect that affected the functionality of her intestines.
"In her case, it was unique because we had to go from just having an intestine transplant to having a multi-organ transplant and that includes delivering the stomach, pancreas, and intestine so you're transplanting 4 organs simultaneously,” Dr. Richard Mangus of IU Health said.
In April 2016, Maddy's life depended on a multi-organ transplant.
"It was about 9 p.m. or so when we got the phone call. They told us it was a possible match,” Itzel said.
A possible match from a 3-year-old from Montana, Landon Haight.
"Landon is my firstborn, my only son. He made me a mom,” Christian Foley, mother of Haight, said.
On April 22, 2016, while Landon was at the lake with his father and sister, a faulty dock changed Foley's life.
"What happened is, that it came down and crushed my son,” Foley said.
Landon was airlifted to a hospital in Washington, where doctors finally broke the heart-wrenching news.
"That he wasn't going to survive, and did we want to do an organ donation? No question in my mind. I said, 'Yes' immediately,” said Foley. “There was nothing we could do for him, but we could do something for someone else."
That yes sent Dr. Richard Mangus on the first flight out of Indianapolis to save Maddy's life.
"We're there for every part of it because we wouldn't trust anybody else to do it,” Mangus said.
“She gets to have a wonderful life and be happy,” Foley said.
On Wednesday, for the first time, Foley traveled more than a thousand miles to meet Maddy and Dr. Mangus at Indiana Donor Network to honor Landon’s legacy by releasing green and blue balloons.
“It's a hard job, but at the same time you’re happy to do it,” Mangus said.
“I get to hug her and I got to hug my son,” Foley said.
‘Thankful, really, really thankful that Christian gave me a second chance at life,” Maddy said.
April is National Donate Life Month.
Dr. Mangus said the hard decision to donate organs, saves lives.
