An intensive care unit (ICU) nurse from Georgia, USA, decided to become the legal guardian of a man with autism so he could be eligible for a heart transplant.
Lori Wood, who works at the Piedmont Newnan Hospital, decided to take in 27-year-old Jonathan Pinkard since he had no support system, according to TODAY on Oct. 31. Pinkard was apparently removed from the heart transplant list since one of the hospital’s requirements was to have someone to care for him.
Wood has been assigned to Pinkard since December 2018 and decided to take him in so he could get a heart transplant. Before this, Pinkard would go home to a men’s shelter whenever he would be discharged from the hospital. As per the report, Wood, a single mom, asked if she could be Pinkard’s legal guardian within just two days of knowing him.
“I had to help him. It was a no-brainer,” Wood was quoted as saying. “He would have died without the transplant.”
Not knowing a thing about Pinkard was not a major problem for Wood as the two immediately connected with each other over football and the game show “Family Feud.”
Pinkard was able to have his heart transplant last August, as per the report, and plans to go back to work as an office clerk by December. He now calls Wood “Mama.” Wood, on the other hand, continues to monitor Pinkard’s daily medications and brings him to his appointments. She is also imparting in him different life skills as well as helping him improve his credit score for when he goes off on his own.
“It’s been a joy having Jonathan here with us,” said Wood in the report. “I knew this is what I was supposed to do.” Cody Cepeda /ra
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