Janece Risty didn’t invite over her extended family this holiday season. Instead, the Frye family came over to her home in Newnan, Georgia. The two families aren’t related by blood.
The only reason why they know each other is because of Janece Risty’s son, Tyler Liebl.
In 2014, Tyler Liebl passed away from a massive brain hemorrhage. Tyler had been a healthy, active 16-year-old teen was passionate about school and speaking up against bullying.
But in July 2014, he began to experience a piercing headache. Seizures overtook him soon after, and he suffered a brain bleed.
Risty rushed her son to the hospital where doctors performed emergency surgery to remove parts of his skull, in hopes of allowing the brain to swell and pressure to release, but it was to no avail. Tyler was declared brain dead and passed away on July 30, 2014.
About half a year prior however, when Tyler had first got his driving permit, he’d discussed with his mom that he wanted to register to be an organ donor in case anything happened.
When Tyler passed, he was able to help over 23 people because of this decision.
19-year-old Lance Frye received Tyler’s heart.
“It was important for me to learn about who gave me my heart and when Janece told me about Tyler, we formed a very special relationship,” Frye said.
Frye and his family had met Risty and her family once before. Their decision to spend their Christmases and New Years’ together would be the second time they spent time together – but everyone felt like they’d “known each other forever.”
“It’s like having an extended family when we get together we all just get along well and it’s like having another nephew or sibling,” Risty explained. “It’s a special connection knowing [Frye’s] story and knowing how Tyler helped him.”
For Risty, it’s bittersweet to see Frye have all the experiences her son, Tyler, never had. But she’s extremely grateful that the entire Frye family has welcomed her – and her family – into their life so she can still, in some way, feel connected to the heart that gave her son his life.
