You are dying so I LIVE, breathe

Alpha 1 antitrypsin deficiency

It has a fancy name

But I just call it

K

I

L

L

E

R

 

I get up to greet the day because you can’t, breathe

Father, dad, muse, hero, teacher, coach

To me

you are just

B

R

O

K

E

N

 

6 foot 6 and bullet proof, breathe

You were

Larger than life

An offensive

T

A

C

K

L

E

 

I get up to greet the day, breathe

University of Washington transplant center will save you

They have to

They must

U

N

B

R

E

A

K

Y

O

U

 

I rise, breathe

To tell people about becoming a donor

I rise

To become the son and man you want me to be

I rise

To make you laugh

I rise

To keep going

To put one foot in front of the other

You tell me you are in me forever and that can’t be taken away

B

R

E

A

T

H

E

 

New lungs will come, breathe

I pray for the call

And finally

YOU will

R

I

S

E

Don’t stop breathing, breathe.