{"id":5401,"date":"2016-11-22T12:39:48","date_gmt":"2016-11-22T17:39:48","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.atl.com\/?p=5401"},"modified":"2016-12-07T15:49:27","modified_gmt":"2016-12-07T20:49:27","slug":"guardian-angel-at-hartsfield-jackson-colleague-gives-big-pays-it-forward","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dev.atl.com\/atl\/guardian-angel-at-hartsfield-jackson-colleague-gives-big-pays-it-forward\/","title":{"rendered":"‘Guardian angel’ at Hartsfield-Jackson: Colleague gives big, pays it forward"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Guardian

Maulana “MT” Tenney and Timothy Cinnamon are all smiles before kidney surgeries.<\/p><\/div>\n

By Anika Robertson
\nSenior Editor\/Assistant Public Relations Manager<\/em><\/b><\/p>\n

Take a moment to think about when you had a medical crisis or scare, whom did you turn to? A friend? Family member?<\/p>\n

For Department of Aviation team member Maulana “MT” Tenney, kindness came in the form of Timothy Cinnamon, a colleague who stepped up not only to help, but also to give beyond measure. \u00a0\u201cI wasn\u2019t feeling good and thought it was a cold,\u201d explained Tenney, a 20-year City of Atlanta employee with 10 years in the maintenance department. \u201cWhen I went to the doctor, he told me, \u2018You need to see a kidney specialist.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n

That\u2019s when he discovered in December 2014 that his kidneys were functioning at 13 percent and required immediate dialysis. \u00a0When fear initially set in, the married father of three admitted he didn\u2019t want the lifesaving treatment but his wife encouraged him.<\/p>\n

\u201cI was afraid, nervous [and] intimidated,\u201d he said. \u201cJust to hear the words, \u2018You have to go to dialysis,\u2019 it doesn\u2019t sound good. I\u2019m a praying man. I thought I would get better. I wanted my kidneys to start functioning again. \u201c<\/p>\n

Tenney took a monthlong leave of absence from the Department of Aviation to address his health issues. After initial hospitalization, he required kidney dialysis three times per week, each session lasting 3 \u00bd hours. Without a transplant, he would need to continue dialysis for the rest of his life. \u00a0His co-workers\u00a0understood the severity of the situation, and some lifted his spirits with phone calls and text messages. \u00a0Cinnamon, who worked alongside Tenney for seven years on the fence maintenance crew, considered Tenney a friend. During that period, Cinnamon was young, new to the Department of Aviation and adapting to working with older, more experienced crew members.<\/p>\n

\u201cI was still in that learning process. MT taught me a lot. He was full-throttle,\u201d Cinnamon said. \u201cBeing co-workers, we learned a lot about each other. [When] I went through some tough times, [he] and I got really close. One day, I called him up [upset]. He prayed with me for an hour. That stuck in my mind. He didn\u2019t have to do that.\u201d<\/p>\n

The pair remained cordial after being reassigned to different areas in 2013, though daily interaction was limited. \u00a0Tenney continued his dialysis treatments through 2015. Since maintenance is a 24-hour unit, he was able to adjust his work schedule to accommodate kidney treatments. \u00a0He passed the time by reading, listening to music and talking to other patients while in the treatment center. Guided by his faith, he remained optimistic.<\/p>\n

\u201cI thank God for my faith,\u201d he said. \u201cThis is a temporary situation I was going through, and I didn\u2019t know how long [it would last]. I encouraged myself and I didn\u2019t stop working. That\u2019s what gave me the strength.\u201d<\/p>\n

Then one day in February, the unexpected happened. Cinnamon approached Tenney and offered his kidney.<\/p>\n

\u201cI thought he was joking,\u201d Tenney recalled. \u201cI didn\u2019t think he was serious.\u201d<\/p>\n

But Cinnamon persisted, requesting his blood type and information on the donor process. After a month, Tenney realized the sincerity of the offer.<\/p>\n

\u201cI was still going to dialysis \u2026 working and doing what I had to do,\u201d Tenney said. \u201cTim and I talked; he never wavered. He stepped in \u2014 my guardian angel.\u201d<\/p>\n

Cinnamon said some people questioned his decision, citing risks and complications.<\/p>\n

\u201cI had a one-track mind,\u201d he said. \u201cI am a man of my word. If you tell someone you\u2019re going to do something, you do it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Although Cinnamon and Tenney realized they had different blood types, they discovered the Living Donor Program, facilitated through Emory Healthcare, which allows a healthy donor to donate their kidney. This in turn enables the desired recipient to receive a living organ compatible to his body. The donor\u2019s kidney is then transported to a matching recipient.<\/p>\n

After a battery of tests, both Tenney and Cinnamon were cleared for the program. They expected to wait six months to a year before the operations, but after four months, Tenney received a call from Emory Transplant Center to schedule his surgery, which took place this year on Sept. 29, the same day as Cinnamon\u2019s.<\/p>\n

Tenney\u2019s kidney arrived from Los Angeles, while Cinnamon\u2019s kidney went to Maryland. Both surgeries were conducted by the same medical team. Relieved to have his first major surgery behind him, Cinnamon remembered the feeling of triumph.<\/p>\n

\u201cOnce out [of surgery], I shouted to MT, \u2018We did it!\u2019 It was a sigh of relief,\u201d he said. \u201cThat was the greatest moment.\u201d<\/p>\n

Tenney explains the significance of his life-changing experience.<\/p>\n

\u201cTim stepped in and gave me another chance at life,\u201d he said. \u201cI appreciate it and love him for that. By him giving and my receiving, now I can help some[one] else along with helping myself.\u201d<\/p>\n

Cinnamon borrowed six months of vacation time for his recovery and plans to return to the Department of Aviation right after Thanksgiving.<\/p>\n

\u201cI can\u2019t complain,\u201d he said. \u201cI\u2019m blessed.\u201d<\/p>\n

He wants Tenney to know that he shouldn\u2019t feel indebted to him.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was a win-win situation,\u201d he said. \u201cI feel just as good to be able to do it as [MT] does to be able to receive. God allowed me to be there for him. I learned what teamwork was.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

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