September 1999
Repaying Strangers
Screenwriter James Redford went on the liver transplant waiting list in1992. It was not until 1993, when his health became critical, that he received a transplant at the University of Nebraska at Omaha. This near-death experience inspired Redford - son of actor, filmmaker, and Sundance Film Festival founder Robert Redford - to make a moving documentary about organ recipients, donors and their families. The Kindness of Strangers premiered last week on HBO, and will air again in November. Redford tells USA TODAY's Elizabeth Snead: "Most recipients reach a point after they recover when they look at the big picture and ask, 'Who am I, what am I doing with my life, what's important, who do I thank, and what can I do tohelp?' It's just an impulse, and this film was how I chose to deal with that."
Copyright 1999 USA TODAY. All rights reserved. USA TODAY staff writers Cesar Soriano and Michelle Healy and The Associated Press contributed to this report.