BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
“Makes sense that it would be a horse that would change your life because it's not only changing Tal’s life, it's changing mine too,” Founder of The Bridge Sanctuary Margaret Ransom said.
"Everything good in my life is because of horses."
Margaret Ransom runs a horse rescue out of her home in Robinson. In 2023, Ransom took in a horse named Willow after its’ former owners found out it had a degenerative bone disease.
Little did they know, their lives were about to change forever.
The previous owners, Tal Raichman, is a father who suffers from a genetic kidney disease.
“But the problem with Tal is that he is tethered to his house, having been on dialysis every day for four and a half years, he hasn't been able to enjoy his life,” Ransom said.
Ransom knew she wanted to help.
“In a few days, I’m going to give him my kidney and hopefully give him a second chance at life,” Ransom said. “Tal will now hopefully be able to see his children graduate from high school, college, have grandchildren, go to weddings, travel back to Israel and see his family, all the things that we as healthy folks take for granted,”
It costs about $15,000 a month to maintain the rescue, so the Raichman family started a GoFundMe for Ransom while she is in recovery.
“The support for these animals is wonderful, but registering and committing to maybe being a donor is such a commitment,” Ransom said. “There are 130,000 people in North America, in the United States, waiting for organ transplants of which more than 80,000 are waiting on kidneys,”
For months Ransom has been tested for illnesses and scanned in preparation for her surgery.
But she told 25 News it’s all worth it in the end …
“I just want him to live a happy life. I want him to be happy,” Ransom said. “You know, they will forever be connected to me. They will ever be part of my family,”
