El Defensor Chieftain: 'He'll live on in her'

             
                  

            Monday, Oct. 04, 2004 

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      Saturday, October 2, 2004
      'He'll live on in her'
      Refuge's John Taylor dies suddenly, then it's discovered his kidneys are a 
      perfect match for his ailing friend
      Audry Olmsted El Defensor Chieftain Reporter
      Out of tragedy blooms the chance for a new life.
      Such is the case with the recent death of Senior Wildlife Biologist John 
      Paul Taylor Jr., of Bosque del Apache Wildlife Refuge in Socorro, who died 
      Monday in Albuquerque after a massive stroke. He was 49.
      In a strange twist of fate, Taylor's kidneys were a perfect match for his 
      good friend, Nyleen Troxel-Stowe, who was in need of a kidney transplant. 
      Troxel-Stowe, 35, is a program manager for the Socorro Soil and Water 
      Conservation District and works closely with the people at the refuge, 
      including Taylor.
      Troxel-Stowe traveled to Fairview Hospital at the University of Minnesota, 
      in Minneapolis, where she underwent a nine-hour transplant surgery early 
      Tuesday morning.
      Keith Stowe, Trowel-Stowe's husband, said Nyleen is recovering nicely from 
      the surgery.
      "She's actually doing very well," he said. "The surgeons seemed very 
      pleased with everything that occurred."
      Stowe said that if everything goes well, Nyleen could go home in as soon 
      as 10 days with follow-up visits.
      Stowe said Nyleen has been on a waiting list for kidneys for almost two 
      years when the family got the call Monday night that Taylor's kidneys were 
      a match for Nyleen. He said the entire process was very rushed and Nyleen 
      was told she needed to get to Fairview Hospital immediately.
      Stowe said it was an organ transplant representative in Albuquerque who 
      spoke with Taylor's family and suggested that since Taylor and Nyleen 
      worked together, the hospital could see if Taylor's kidneys were a match 
      for Nyleen. When the match was found, the family made a directed 
      transplant donation to Nyleen.
      Stowe said at this point, his family's thoughts are with Taylor's family 
      and what they are going through right now.
      "Our thoughts and prayers are with the Taylors right now," he said. "Our 
      very strong concerns are with the Taylors."
      Stowe said four years ago his family was told the average waiting time for 
      an organ transplant was six years. He said Nyleen had started using 
      in-home dialysis about a month ago.
      Co-workers were stunned when they learned of Taylor's death.
      "We were shocked and saddened by John's death but are glad Nyleen seems to 
      be doing well," said Maggie O'Connell, visitor services chief for Bosque 
      del Apache refuge.
      O'Connell said Taylor worked at the bosque for 18 years. She said he was 
      an expert in eradicating salt cedar and in restoration of the bosque.
      He also received local, regional and national attention for his work in 
      wetland management and geese culture.
      In 2003, Taylor was honored as the recipient of the National Wildlife 
      Refuge Employee of the Year Award.
      Merry-Jo Fahl, district coordinator for the Sierra Soil and Water 
      Conservation District said Troxel-Stowe is well respected by the people 
      she works with.
      "She is an outstanding person," she said. "I just love her to death. She 
      is a wonderful person."
      Troxel-Stowe has done many things for the health of the bosque, including 
      working on the Lower Rio Grande salt cedar project and also working to 
      locate and map out perennial pepper weed, a noxious plant that is toxic to 
      animals such as cattle and horses.
      "She's been awarded nationally for her efforts in noxious plants," Fahl 
      said.
      Troxel-Stowe is also the president of the New Mexico Vegetative Management 
      Association and has spoken on the topic of noxious plants in Washington 
      D.C.
      Fahl said Troxel-Stowe is the poster child for her job because of her 
      passion and commitment and energy to her work.
      Fahl said Trowel-Stowe and Taylor were friends long before they worked 
      together.
      "They were very good friends," she said.
      She said Taylor would have been happy to know that he helped Troxel-Stowe, 
      who has had diabetes for the greater portion of her life, to live.
      "I know John would have been very proud to do that for her," Fahl said. 
      "He'll live on in her."
      A rosary service will be held today at 1:30 p.m., followed by a funeral 
      mass at 2 p.m., at San Albino Church in Mesilla.
      On Oct. 3, there will be an outdoor memorial service at the Bosque del 
      Apache National Wildlife Refuge. The Visitor's Center will be closed for 
      the day.

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