LDS missionary lives with mom’s liver

LDS missionary lives with mom’s liver

(Mickelle Marston)


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SANDY — A man who was born with a terminal liver disease is now serving a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, thanks to his mom.

Ashton Arndt’s parents learned of the disease when he was about 8 weeks old. If he didn’t receive a transplant, his life would be over in less than a year, according to his mother, JoLayna Arndt.

When he was just 6 months old, his mother donated some of her liver to her son, “and he’s been really, really healthy since then,” JoLayna Arndt said.

She said he has been called the poster child for transplantation.

“Being Ashton’s mom is one of the best gifts I’ve ever received,” JoLayna Arndt said. “... I would do it again in a heartbeat. In fact, I’ve said in the past, I would have given him a piece of my heart if he hadn’t stolen it from the minute he was born.”

Ashton Arndt is a cross-country runner and ran between 30 and 50 miles per week before his mission. Last summer, he traveled to Argentina and participated in the World Transplant Games.

In October 2015, he left to serve a Spanish-speaking mission in Fort Worth, Texas.

(Photo: Mickelle Marston)
(Photo: Mickelle Marston)

The missionary is doing really well. His mom said they’ve had some struggles sending him his medication, but from a religious perspective, they’ve seen miracles happen.

JoLayna Arndt said people say what she did is heroic, but she doesn’t see it that way.

“I did what my child needed, which any parent would do I think,” she said. “What I really think is amazing is when people are faced with tragedy, which is usually when organ donation becomes a possibility, and they choose to save other people’s lives. They are the true heroes.”

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