A boy’s life was saved when, after months of waiting for a transplant, a stranger donated the his bone marrow to the boy.
Before that happy day, 10-year-old Rupert Cross didn’t think he’d ever make it out of the hospital.
Tragically, he was diagnosed with a rare blood disorder over four years ago.
Over time, it became clear that Rupert was in desperate need of a bone marrow transplant, but doctors were unable to find a match.
He was admitted to Great Ormond Street Hospital where he spent 80 days in a specialist unit undergoing chemotherapy.
Meanwhile, Essex native Billy Higgins was strolling by the bone marrow registry when he saw a girl he fancied in the queue.
He quickly joined the line to spark up a conversation with the woman, who eventually became his wife.
But Billy wasn’t just a perfect match for the girl in the queue; his bone marrow was the exact type that young Rupert needed.
And because of his donation, Rupert has made a full recovery and is living a happy and healthy life.
During an interview with BBC, Billy said: “If you’ve the opportunity to provide a bone marrow that someone desperately needs then you have to do that.
“It’s the right thing to do.”
Recently, Rupert was able to meet his donor and his wife - the two strangers that helped save his life.
“I feel very lucky,” the boy said. “I can’t believe that someone would do this for me. He’s a superman.”
Rupert’s mum was in tears when she met Billy as well, eternally grateful for his kind act.
Now, the ten-year-old is the healthiest he has ever been and he will always remember what Billy did for him.
