Boy meets Brazilian man who saved his life with stem cell donation

This Morning viewers were left ‘in bits’ after a ten-year-old met the donor who saved his life live on the show. 

Finley Hill, 10, from Worcestershire. received a live saving stem-cell transplant in 2020 after being diagnosed with a rare autoimmune condition called. Hemophagocytic Lymphohistiocytosis (HLH).

The disorder causes the immune system to overreact, leading to inflammation and damage to tissues such as the liver, spleen and brain. 

Two years on from the successful operation, Finley and his parents, Jo and Paul, appeared on This Morning today to reveal how the 10-year-old has been getting on, and talk about their efforts to meet Jose, the Brazilian man who donated his stem cells. 

Jo revealed that Finley and Jose had exchanged messaged, but had never met face-to-face due to various travel restrictions. 

Little did the family know that This Morning had flown in so he could meet Finley and his parents on the show. 

The donor and the boy he saved teared up as they got to hug each other for the first time, with emotional mum Jo saying she was struggling to ‘keep it together.’

Viewers were moved by the emotional moment and were happy Finley got to meet the man who saved his life.  

Jo began to explain the family looked for the identity of Finley’s donor earlier this year in order to say thank you. 

‘All we need at the time he donated was that he was a 43-year-old gentleman from Brazil,’ Jo said. 

‘We put our details out there, and then thankfully, earlier this year, Jose got in touch.

Phil then gave more details about the donor, saying: ‘He’s Jose Nata Da Silva, from Brazil, he’s worked in a hospital for 27 years. Married to Patricia, two children, Maria-Clara and Pedro-Lucas.

Finley parents, Jo and Paul , were overcome with emotion as they watch Jose and Finley meet for the first time 

In spite of finding each other, Jo admitted the family’s exchange with Jose has been limited by the language barrier.  

‘We’ve only exchanged WhatsApp messages. We’ve made friend son social media,’ she said. 

‘Fin did learn Portuguese and made him a little video just to say thank you,’ she said. 

‘Other than that, we haven’t been able to speak because my Portuguese… I really need to learn,’ she added. 

Finley said Jose meant the world to him, adding: ‘I just would not be there. I would be….’ he said, closing his eyes. 

Finley said Jose means ‘the world to him’ because he wouldn’t be alive if the 43-year-old hadn’t donated his bone marrow 

Finley and Jose shared an emotional hug on the show after This Morning flew the donour to London 

Jose with his son and his wife. The married father-of-two lives in Brazil, and only spreaks Portuguese 

Holly then asked if Jo had a special message to deliver Jose.  

‘If the language thing wasn’t a barrier, what would you say to him or to people who make that gift of life donation,’ she asked. 

‘Thank you is never going to be enough, how do you thank the person who’s saved your world?,’ Jo said. 

‘So yes, thankfully he’s sent message back, and he’s the most humble, beautiful man,’ she added. 

Jose actually recorded a message in English for Fin ,which was shown on the show. 

Finley was struggling to fight back his tears after he got to meet Jose on the show this morning, but said he was ‘very happy’ 

Jose, Finley and his parents and Phil and Holly all sat down with a translator so the donour and the family could speak 

Finley Hill, from Worcestershire, who suffers from Hemophagocytic Lymphohistiocytosis (HLH), underwent a life-saving stem cell transplant. He is pictured in December undergoing the transplant   

Jo and Finley have kept This Morning’s viewers updated about his condition since 2019, and throughout his treatment, pictured 

‘Hi Fin, I hope you are well, I’m glad I could help you and I hope to meet you,’ he said. 

But Phil revealed more surprises were to come, as he admitted to Jo, Fin and Paul:  ‘We’ve gone one step further than that and we’ve flown him from Brazil and he’s about to come in through those doors over there.

In the emotional moment, Finley and Jo were overcome with emotion as Jose walked in and headed towards them. 

The 10-year-old rushed into his donour’s arms as the two shared an emotional embrace and began to cry. 

They were swiftly joined by Finley’s parents, who were equally emotional.  

Phillip Schofield and Holly Willoughby witnessed the incredibly emotional moment unfold live on the show 

The show also got a translator on set to make sure Fin and Jose could understand each other. 

‘If that doesn’t make you sign up for orgsan donation or bone marrow donation this afternoon, nothing will,’ Holly joked as the group took a seat.

The Portuguese hospital worker said he felt ‘a lot of emotions’ meeting Finley in person for the first time. 

He revealed he was encouraged to donate his bone marrow by his daughter Mari Clara 12 years ago, which resulted in him being a match for Fin. 

Jo, who was fighting back tears told Phil and Holly she was ‘really trying to get it together. I don’t think Jose even realises what he’s done.

Viewers were left ‘in bits’ after watching the very emotional meeting, and said This Morning had been ‘brilliant’ to arrange the moment 

‘I do understand, because I also do have children, and if one of my children needed that gesture, I would love someone to do this for them,’ he replied. 

Meanwhile, Fin, who was crying, said meeting Jose in person made him ‘Very happy.’

The 10-year-old has been returning to a normal life since his life-saving operation in 2020. 

He revealed he got his first swimming badge this year, and has taking an interest in theatre and took part in his school’s production of High School Musical. 

Viewers were moved to ‘bits’ by the emotional moment on the show. 

‘Officially in bits. Finley meeting Jose, the man who saved his life with a bone marrow transplant and flew from Brazil to meet him. If you are 17-55 of age please sign up to donate,’ one wrote. 

‘So please I turned off the hum drum of the politics this morning to see Finley looking so well with his beautiful family and meeting hos donor. I’m already registered on the list but so wonderful to see you enjoying your new life,’ another wrote. 

‘Oh Finley you are such a lovely young man. Keep smiling its just magical. Wasn’t the donor a really nice man. How brilliant of This Morning to arrange for the donor to come over to the UK to meet Finley, good job, well done,’ one said. 

HLH, in which the immune system reacts abnormally, most often affects babies up to around 18 months, but can affect individuals of any age.

The exact prevalence is unknown, according to the National Organization for Rare Disorders, but one study estimates approximately one in 100,000 in under 18s.

DKMS organises donor recruitment in the UK. It says there are around 2,000 people in the UK searching for a blood stem cell donation each year and more than 37,000 people waiting worldwide.

If you are aged between 17 – 55 and in general good health, take the first step to register as a blood stem cell donor by registering for your home swab kit at www.dkms.org.uk