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 Editorials | Opinions | May 2007 
It's Not Easy to Forgive Dad Who Chose His Freedom Over Son's Life
 Merlene Davis - Herald-Leader
| | This undated photo provided by the United States Marshals Service shows Byron Perkins, who was released from jail where he was serving time for drugs and firearms violations so he could be tested to see if he could donate a kidney for his son, Destin Perkins. When Byron Perkins instead fled to Mexico with his girlfriend, nearly 100 TV viewers of 'Americas Most Wanted' March 18, 2006, episode which featured Byron Perkins called in and offered their kidneys to the 16-year-old from Russell Springs, Ky. (AP/United States Marshals Service) |
Some people make it so hard for me to be a Christian, to follow my faith.
The main one this week is Byron Keith Perkins, the father who was released from jail temporarily in January 2006 in order to see whether he was a compatible kidney donor for his son.
I know on the surface Perkins sounds easy to love. But there's more.
See, Perkins returned to jail after the first set of tests, but he decided to bypass the second set a week later, and he and his girlfriend, Lea Ann Howard, who was facing criminal charges of her own, fled to Mexico instead.
Meanwhile, Perkins' then-16-year-old son, Destin Perkins of Russell Springs, who was traveling 90 minutes round-trip twice a week for dialysis, still desperately needed a kidney.
I might be taking a slanted view of this, but it seems that donating a kidney to save my son's life is a wee bit more important than my lover and me staying out of jail.
I could be wrong.
According to the Web site of the TV program America's Most Wanted, Perkins' mother, who also seems to think her son should have chosen the life of his son over life on the lam, put up the $10,000 bond that allowed her son to get out of jail, and she lent him and Howard a car.
The Web site said Perkins left a note, though, for his mother saying he would pay her back and would be available to donate the kidney whenever his son needed it.
Help me, Lord. I'm just not feeling the love.
Fortunately, Perkins and Howard were arrested last week in Puerto Vallarta, some 15 months after he should have returned to his jail cell or donated a kidney.
Perkins, 38, who has a laundry list of convictions, is facing 25 years at least for drug and weapons charges, which is why he was in jail in 2006, and will have more charges added.
Howard has charges waiting on her return to Kentucky as well.
What a couple.
I am waiting for someone to remind me to forgive these people.
See, my emotions are more in line with Perkins' son, Destin Perkins, now 17 and living with a second donated kidney. His body rejected the first transplant, which came from his mother in March 2006.
Destin, who received his second new kidney in August, seven months after his father fled, doesn't speak glowingly of his father.
But I imagine forgiveness wouldn't be so highly prized if it were offered only to those who are easy to love.
The Amish taught us that, when a madman killed five of their young school girls in October and left five others permanently disabled, the youngest of whom is paralyzed and unresponsive still.
They reached out to the gunman's wife and children and relied on their faith in God to forgive.
One Amish father said he simply tossed his pain and questions into God's lap and asked God to handle it.
Lord, help me do the same regarding Perkins and Howard.
Reach Merlene Davis at (859) 231-3218 or 1-800-950-6397, Ext. 3218, or mdavis1@herald-leader.com. |
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