'What do you say to a stranger who saved your baby son's life?'

In May 2007 Aurora civil engineer Mary Garza decided she was going to save a life. She just didn't know whose.

Monday morning, with tears flowing, she met the boy. Evan Garcia, from Jasper, Texas, is now a healthy 2-year-old thanks to Garza's bone marrow.

Two years ago, Garza was reading a newspaper when her eyes scanned a photo of a cute little boy attached to a story about a dying 21-month-year-old baby.

"Being the mom of two little girls myself, I was instantly drawn to an article about a cute little baby on the front page of the newspaper," Garza said. "The story was about a boy named Felipe Aguilera, a horrible disease that was killing him, and the dedication of his mother to fight for his life. I read that article and couldn't believe that I have been blessed like this and that woman had to fight every single day for her baby."

Despite being a one-in-a- million chance to be a match to Felipe, Garza headed the next day to a bone marrow drive being sponsored by LifeSource Bone Marrow.

"I gave a sample of saliva from the inside of my mouth. That was it," she said. "I was called within weeks of the drive to report to a LifeSource location for blood testing and a meeting with LifeSource staff. Everything had to be anonymous, but I asked if the recipient might be Felipe."

Garza, as it turned out, was not a match for Felipe but was a 100 percent match for young Evan.

Months of waiting and scheduling and testing and matching ended on Dec. 5, 2007.

In July of 2007, unbeknownst to Garza, a 7-month old Evan Garcia was diagnosed with an immunodeficiency disease, his parents said, that leads to recurring bacterial and fungal infections. The only know cure is a bone-marrow transplant.

"It was just in the clouds, I guess, that I was going to be there, that I was going to read the article and then Evan got sick" Garza said. "And Melissa and Rojelio (Garcia) had to go through this hell every day, having this little-bitty sick kid and I couldn't even imagine what they went through. And I just thank God that I read that article that day."

On Dec. 5, 2008, Garcia called her bone marrow coordinator and asked to waive her anonymity when the one- year period ended. On the morning of Feb. 23, she received an e-mail from Evan's father, Rojelio, and a photograph of Evan.

"He was playing on a trampoline. I could not even read the words his father had written through my tears," she said. "But I saw that he was perfect and beautiful and happy and playing on his trampoline."

During Monday's tearful and hug-filled meeting, organized by city officials and LifeSource officials, Garza met and held Evan for the first time.

"How beautiful is this little boy?" Garza asked. "I'm speechless and so happy to meet him."

Evan's parents couldn't quite find the words to say.

"What do you say to a complete stranger who saved your baby son's life?" Melissa Garcia asked. "All I could think to say was 'Thank you' when we hugged, but that will never be enough."

Just months after being given Garza's marrow, Garcia said her son is now cured and free of any medication.

"He's a healthy, troublemaking growing boy who likes to get dirty," she said.

The Garzas and Garcias will spend time together this week in Aurora, forging what they hope will be a lifelong bond. On Wednesday they will all attend a bone marrow drive being held at city hall in honor of Felipe and Evan.

Health officials at the meeting also stressed the importance for Hispanics and other minorities to have the simple cheek swabbing procedure done during the drive.

"Because a matching donor is most likely to be found within a person's ethnic background, increasing the number of minority donors helps more patients," said Julie Contreras, a bone marrow representative from the Be The Match registry. "It is a simple swab test that places you on the registry and allows you to possibly give someone else a second chance in life just like Mary Garza did for Evan."

Following Monday's meeting, Contreras said Felipe eventually waited two years to be matched with a bone marrow donor, but his parents received the call late last month that a donor had been found. He traveled from Aurora to Ohio on May 25 to prepare for his marrow transplant, which is scheduled for this week.

If you go

What: Aurora bone marrow drive

When: 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Wednesday, June 10

Where: Fifth floor of city hall, 44 E. Downer Place, Aurora.

Info: Appointments not necessary, but those who would like more information can log on to bethematch.com or call (847) 803-7857 or (847) 803-7891 with questions