Skip to content
  • Happy Health
  • Happy Mindset
  • Animal Wonders
  • About Us
    • Team
  • Subscribe
Menu
  • Happy Health
  • Happy Mindset
  • Animal Wonders
  • About Us
    • Team
  • Subscribe
Happy News

The Knock On The Door That Led To A Beautiful Gift

Tim Swinburn from Melksham in Wiltshire knocked on Clare Brixey’s door in Standerwick, Somerset in 2004 with the worst news any parent can receive: her 20-year-old son Ashley had died in a car crash. As the family liaison officer from Wiltshire Police, Swinburn provided compassionate support and became someone Brixey found very easy to talk to during the darkest time in her life. She was already suffering from kidney failure and reliant on dialysis when they first met, making an already tragic situation even more challenging. The pair forged an unexpected friendship that lasted 21 years through life’s ups and downs, supporting each other through difficult times and joking that they were like siblings.

When Swinburn, who resigned from Wiltshire Police in 2007 to become a support worker at The Salvation Army’s Swindon Booth House, learned that Brixey’s previous kidney transplant was failing, he made an extraordinary offer she couldn’t refuse: one of his kidneys, telling her he wouldn’t take no for an answer. The successful four-hour transplant at Southmead Hospital in Bristol took place in October, and both have recovered beautifully with Swinburn already back at work. Brixey has gone horse riding for the first time in years and is spending precious time with her daughter and granddaughter, proving the transplant gave her more than just health. Swinburn says giving the gift of life is simply a human thing to do, and seeing his friend out there riding her horse again and enjoying life with her family makes everything worthwhile.

PrevPreviousChocolate Waste Just Became The Future Of Food Coloring
NextThe Turtle Comeback Of The CenturyNext

Recent Articles

Happy News

This New Underwater Fossil Discovery is 512 Million Year Old

February 6, 2026

Paleontologists have unearthed a treasure trove of fossils from 512 million years ago including 90 species previously unknown to science. The discovery comprises 153 different species from 16 major animal groups including sponges, arthropods and bizarre segmented apex predators known as radiodonts that make up a complex food web, dating

Read More
Happy News

What Makes Some Dogs GENIUS Word Learners

February 6, 2026

Scientists have discovered that some exceptionally skilled dogs called gifted word learners can quickly remember the names of toys, and new research reveals the key factor behind their unusual ability isn’t about curiosity but about their relationship with humans. Animal behaviorist Andrea Sommese of the University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna

Read More
Happy News

How Our Voices Affect Dog Behavior

February 6, 2026

Hearing a human voice can affect a dog more than previously thought as new research suggests that angry or happy voices are linked to measurable changes in dogs’ balance, with angry voices often causing destabilizing effects that physically sway their bodies. Scientists led by Nadja Affenzeller at the University of

Read More
« Previous Next »
  • Privacy Notice
  • Accessibility Notice
  • Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information
  • Unsubscribe
  • Terms and Conditions
  • Privacy Policy
  • Privacy Notice
  • Accessibility Notice
  • Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information
  • Unsubscribe
  • Terms and Conditions
  • Privacy Policy
Copyright © 2026 HappyNews.