Bone marrow transplant brings two strangers together

Randy Pence, who has leukemia, received a bone marrow transplant at Duke University Hospital about four year ago.

A match came from Steven Lasiter, a firefighter and former Marine from Palm Springs, Calif., who became a bone marrow donor along with his fellow firefighters.

“You think of that, somebody who took time out of his life to save you and you’ve never even met,” Pence said. “It’s just an amazing thing.”

“It’s amazing. I can’t wait to get to know him,” Pence said, shedding tears. “The hug, I think, really said it all.”