A 21-year-old woman made a personal sacrifice and donated one of her kidneys to save her brother's life.
Even at 17, Jake Jacobi knows his sister Jamie gave him the ultimate gift: the gift of life. Jamie, a senior at Georgia Southern University gave one of her kidneys to her baby brother last June.
"I just felt like it was the right thing to do. I know he would do it for me and my other siblings would. I know that God wanted me to do it. It was just all the right direction… was pointing the right way," said Jamie Jacobi.
Jake was born with one kidney. The Jacobis always knew that one day he would need a transplant.
"It was like a gray cloud that followed us around our whole life, that one day it was going to have to happen and the day it came we were all basically numb," said John Jacobi.
It wasn't until last January when Jake's kidney started to fail.
The student-athlete at Greater Atlanta Christian had to miss classes and withdraw from sports, the one thing he loved.
"My life just pretty much ended. I had to quit everything, just to school and come home and sleep," said Jake Jacobi.
Jake's health declined rapidly and it became a race against time. His parents volunteered to be donors but when Jamie stepped up, doctors said the testing process would move quicker with a younger person.
Lori and John Jacobi said at first they were proud but torn; they didn't want two kids in the hospital.
"You wonder sometimes how good of a parent you really are, but when you see something like this happen and your daughter sacrifice her own life to help her brother, it makes you feel pretty good," said John Jacobi.
On June 29, the brother and sister went in for the procedure at Children's Healthcare
of Atlanta at Egleston. The road to recovery has been long, more so for Jake. But now, months later, he said that he's feeling better than ever.
"I'm swimming again. I'm doing lacrosse in the spring because I can now play contact sports. I feel great. I feel better than I have ever in my entire life," said Jake Jacobi.
Just before the holidays, the Jacobis went back for a checkup, what they saw was amazing.
"It was so surreal looking at that screen and seeing Jamie's kidney in Jake, working and functioning. We're just very, very thankful," said Lori Jacobi.
The Jacobis say they had a lot to celebrate this past Christmas. Instead of exchanging presents, the family sailed to the Virgin Islands.
Wednesday, May 22 2013 10:37 AM EDT2013-05-22 14:37:15 GMT
You've seen us handing out Good Day Gas Money for weeks now, and Gurvir and Karen have met plenty of those lucky winners in person.
You've seen us handing out Good Day Gas Money for weeks now, and Gurvir and Karen have met plenty of those lucky winners in person. But Paul turned up the heat when he enlisted the help of two actresses from the new movie Operation Heat to play a little prank on his unsuspecting coworkers.
Wednesday, May 22 2013 10:30 AM EDT2013-05-22 14:30:53 GMT
Does your summer road trip include mouth-watering stops at mom-and-pop eateries? Ours does, and it'll be even better with the help of a new Southern Living book!
Off the Eaten Path: Second Helpings is dedicated to finding the best meals in the south-- and it features some great restaurants right here in north Georgia. Good Day's Paul Milliken checked out two of those gems-- The Hil in Serenbe, and Weaver D's in Athens! As usual, he didn't leave hungry.
Wednesday, May 22 2013 10:17 AM EDT2013-05-22 14:17:14 GMT
The new season of Masterchef features a local contestant from the metro area! Jessie Lysiak is from Social Circle, and she's about to make her big debut on the hit FOX show.
The new season of Masterchef features a local contestant from the metro area! Jessie Lysiak is from Social Circle, and she's about to make her big debut on the hit FOX show. But first, she stopped by Good Day to cook us up one of her favorite recipes.
Wednesday, May 22 2013 9:56 AM EDT2013-05-22 13:56:24 GMT
Americans are known for their pearly whites, but we pay for it—and it isn't cheap.
Americans are known for their pearly whites, but we pay for it—and it isn't cheap. If you have more than one child who needs braces, you have quite an expense on your hands—but FOX 5 I-Team reporter Dana Fowle found some ways to make it a little more manageable.
This week's Good Day Casting Call is loaded with opportunities! Whether you're a jock, a hipster, or a funky-looking worker (WHAT?), there's a job on the big screen for you!
This week's Good Day Casting Call is loaded with opportunities! Whether you're a jock, a hipster, or a funky-looking worker (WHAT?), there's a job on the big screen for you!
Our own Katie Beasley is about to get hitched! She's finally finished planning her big day, and she did lots of it herself. She let us in on her DIY secrets on Good Day!
Our own Katie Beasley is about to get hitched! She's finally finished planning her big day, and she did lots of it herself. She let us in on her DIY secrets on Good Day!
Wednesday, May 22 2013 9:29 AM EDT2013-05-22 13:29:22 GMT
Summer is almost here, and that means lots of people will be hitting the roads on vacation. But before you go, don't forget to give your car a little TLC to get it ready for the highway.
Summer is almost here, and that means lots of people will be hitting the roads on vacation. But before you go, don't forget to give your car a little TLC to get it ready for the highway.
Wednesday, May 22 2013 8:51 AM EDT2013-05-22 12:51:47 GMT
Chances are your child or someone in your child's class has at least one food allergy.
Chances are your child or someone in your child's class has at least one food allergy. A study by the CDC released last week shows that one in every 20 kids is dealing with food allergies. It's a challenge, but doctors say it's important that kids get diagnosed and treated.
