Domestic relations paralegal at Roberts, Kelly, and Bucio, LLP, Ellie Deal, is giving the gift of life this year through the donation of a kidney. The recipient is a man from St. Paris named Jeremiah Lear who was a high school buddy of Deal’s older brother, Steve. Deal saw on Facebook in January that Jeremiah, wife Kim and 7-year-old daughter Libby were struggling with the news that his kidneys were failing. His wife had been tested for possible donation and was not a match. The Lears were unsure what the future would hold for their family.

Jeremiah Lear had an allergic reaction to an antibiotic in May of 2013 that caused his kidneys to begin shutting down. He has been on dialysis since that time. According to Deal, Lear currently has only 9% kidney function remaining.

As a former Marine, Deal believes that “if you can do something to help somebody, you need to help somebody.” As a single mother of a 14-year-old son, she considered carefully how this would affect life for her and her family. The surgery will weaken her somewhat and will require her to stay in good shape to function well. The side effects were minimal enough, however, that Deal said she “couldn’t imagine why more people don’t donate.” She said she felt led by faith to pursue the possibility of donating a kidney back in October 29, 2015. Extensive testing ensued shortly thereafter through the Wexner Center at Ohio State.

“It was not as invasive as I expected it to be,” Deal said. Blood tests and family medical background have been meticulously filtered but Deal said she has only had to make a couple trips to the hospital since the fall of 2015.

Deal has actively included Jeremiah and Kim Lear in the process. “This is really important to them,” Deal said. “They have been just wonderful and we have been able to really encourage each other along the way.” She was found to be a match at the end of 2015 and the final confirmation of medical viability was established through a panel of surgeons, nurses, and social workers on Wednesday, February 3 at around 4:00 p.m. Social workers are required to assess if a person is in the right frame of mind to be a living donor. Deal cleared every requirement for the process to proceed. The surgery date has been set for an undisclosed day in March 2016.

Deal is not being compensated in any way for the service she is providing to the Lear family. She will be taking an extensive period of time, nearly 2 months off work to recover. During this time, she and her son will be without income. The office of Roberts, Kelly, and Bucio are helping Deal and Lear promote a public fundraiser benefit and silent auction to alleviate some of the expenses that will accompany the upcoming transplant surgery and subsequent recovery time. The fundraiser event will take place on February 27 from 1:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. at the Fletcher Volunteer Fire Department at 6605 Highway 589 in Fletcher, Ohio. A concession stand, Chinese Raffle, 50/50, music, and dancing will be a part of the benefit. Donations and questions are being directed to Jeremiah and Kim Lear at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., 937-869-2630 or Ellie Deal at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., 937-570-0249.