Voices from the book
Lisa Misraje
SAVING LEVI
A selection of the real words of those who became part of Levi’s fight for survival.
“If this baby survives, it will be your God who saves him.”
— Doctor at Beijing Children’s Hospital
“In the history of our burn center, we have never had a baby so young and so severely burned
survive. I’ve seen many burn victims, but never an infant this badly burned. At best, this baby
has a 20 percent chance of surviving.”
— Dr. Li Hi Xia, Burn Specialist, Beijing Children’s Hospital
“If the Beijing Children’s Hospital will give me authority to operate in their facility, I will
consider coming to China to save his life.”
— Dr. John Schultz, Shriners Hospital Boston
“We have everything we need to get Levi to America. Working together with the United States and China, we have secured both his passport and visa.”
— Chinese Orphan Aide Worker
I’ll do whatever I can to get Levi to Boston.”
— Cynthia Qiu, United Airlines China
“Lisa, Holiday Inn has a room for you, and Thrifty Rental has a car for you. Lisa, I have chills— Levi’s name means ‘to bind and unite.”
— Traci Nelson
“Lisa, I don’t make a lot of money. I don’t have a lot of money. Here’s $20.”
— United Airlines Flight Attendant, Chicago to Boston
“Mommy, look what the lady gave me!” I said, holding four dollars. Then the same woman handed me an envelope with ‘May God bless you’ written on it—and inside was forty dollars.”
— Emily Bentley, Age 8
