Local father thanks life-saving donor from Germany

CINCINNATI (Adam Clements) -- Sometimes you can find a glimmer of hope in the most unlikely places. Sometimes, that means it comes from a complete stranger on the other side of the world. That's exactly where Chris Herrell found it when he was diagnosed with a deadly form of blood cancer. He needed help and he got it. "I was always an avid runner," Chris Harrell from Milford said. "I'd be on a four or five mile run and I'd have to stop seven or eight times, and that's just not me." Herrell knew something just wasn't right. Doctors at Jewish Hospital confirmed it. "October is when they diagnosed me with aplastic anemia, which is basically a blood cancer that basically just kills off all your platelets, red blood cells and white blood cells," Herrell said. The husband and father of four needed a bone-marrow transplant if he had any chance of surviving. Dr. James Eddel, from Jewish Hosptial, said, "From day one, our team started searching for a donor and we were looking for alternative treatments. As you can see here, we searched the entire world." "That was the hard part - waiting and not knowing you may or may not have a match," Herrell said. Chris' wife, Laurie said, "It was extremely hard, day by day, not knowing if he was going to wake up in the morning." After doctor's searched high and low for a donor, Chris finally got the call he never thought he'd get. "They finally found the match in late March of 2013, and we did the transplant in April," Eddel said. Chris and his wife Laurie were beyond elated and relieved. They were also grateful and wanted to say 'thanks.' On Monday they got the chance to do just that. "I couldn't believe he was really here. So incredible." Jens Wagner lives thousands of miles away in Germany. He donated his bone marrow after learning he was a match for Chris -- a complete stranger. Jens may not think what he did was a big deal. Try telling that to Chris. "It's amazing," Chris said. "I mean, meeting the guy who saved my life, and gave me a second chance at life, words can't describe how I'm feeling right now." Follow Adam Clements on Twitter @aclementswkrc and LIKE him on Facebook.