Four years ago, Meranie embarked on a deeply personal quest to uncover her biological roots and discovered, through the help of ancestry.com, the names of her birth parents. Just as the excitement was settling in, her momentum came to a hard stop as her husband Brady’s health plummeted. It was 2020, a time when health scares were at an all-time high. With Brady suddenly ill, a chain of events began that would forever change the lives of Brady and Meranie Karren and their young family.
Two days before Brady’s illness reached a critical point, Meranie finally unearthed the identity of her birth parents. Yet, amidst this revelation, Memorial Day weekend brought a new challenge as Brady’s health deteriorated rapidly. Struggling with jaundice and unable to stand, Brady faced a daunting battle.
Amid the complexities of the COVID era, Meranie anxiously waited in a hospital parking lot, her heart heavy with worry. The diagnosis was devastating: liver failure, with Brady’s life slipping away as he bled internally. Rushed from Utah Valley Hospital to Timpanogos Hospital for urgent testing, they faced another setback when they learned the second hospital couldn’t provide the necessary procedure. Their journey continued to St. Mark’s Hospital, where COVID restrictions separated Meranie from her husband during his darkest hours.
In a surreal twist of fate, Meranie’s agony of not being able to sit with her husband while they awaited test results, led to an encounter that would change everything. Exploring every possible route to get to Brady’s bedside, Meranie found herself in the hospital ER, explaining her situation to a caring security guard. This chance encounter, revealed an astonishing connection. As the gentleman agreed to help her, and escort her to visit her husband, Meranie kindly asked him for his name. Startled by his response, she discovered that he shared the same name as her recently uncovered birth father. The conversation began with a question, did he know of any children given in adoption? He did not, but a revelation confirmed later, that he was in fact her biological father.
As Brady’s condition teetered on the edge, they began the search for a liver donor, with friends and family rallying around them with unwavering support. Despite setbacks, including an initial failed donor attempt with a family member, hope shone through when Meranie’s newly acquainted half-brother from Wyoming emerged as a compatible donor. She considers it a blessing that amidst all of the stress of that experience at the hospital’s, Meranie was able to be in the right place at the right time to meet her biological father. And then subsequently, her half-brother and donor match for Brady’s liver transplant.
Throughout this ordeal, Brady’s love for horses, his knack for training them, and his scientific expertise in equine nutrition remains constants. His resilience and humor uplift those around him, reminding them of the importance of love and laughter even in the darkest of times.
The Karren’s three daughters, aged 14, 11, and 6, stand by their parents, demonstrating strength beyond their years. Locked down for an entire year to protect Brady’s fragile health, the family found solace in each other’s company, cherishing the bonds that continue to hold them together.
As Brady’s journey to recovery endures, supported by meticulous medical care and unwavering love, the Karren’s look to the future with hope and gratitude. A community fundraiser, planned with meticulous care, aims to celebrate their journey and raise awareness for organ donation. Meranie and Brady are tremendously grateful to a community that has donated, organized miracles and provided countless warm meals and love during their darkest hours. It is the strength of a community and the hope that things will work out, that continues to define their future.
Their story is a testament to the power of love, resilience, and the remarkable connections that bind us together in the face of adversity.
Mark Your Calendar!
CARNIVAL FUNDRAISER | MAY 18, 2024
Wasatch Events Center, Southfield Road, Heber, Utah
10am – 2pm
FOOD | GAMES | HORSE RIDES | TRAIN RIDES | TILT-A-WHEEL | SILENT AUCTION | YARD SALE
Can’t Make It?
Donate through Venmo @Meranie-Karren
