Illinois Family Celebrates 185 Years and a Life-Saving Gift

When Debbie Koerber needed a kidney transplant, her dearest friend Katie Parker stepped up without hesitation. The two former coworkers have been friends for 40 years, and last September, Parker gave Koerber the gift of life at the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota.

Nearly a year later, both women stood together at a joyful celebration in McHenry, Illinois. About 100 family members, friends, and neighbors gathered to honor not just Koerber's successful transplant, but also the 185th anniversary of the Frett family's arrival in America.

"Debbie is my dearest friend," Parker said at the reunion. "I was so honored" to be chosen as her donor.

The surgery took place on September 17, 2025, and went seamlessly. Koerber, who had gotten seriously ill in January, is now back to her old self and participating in a research study at the Mayo Clinic.

"Spending time with family and friends, especially after everything I've been through, that's what I truly value," Koerber said. For Parker, attending her first Frett family reunion as the woman who saved her best friend's life felt surreal and beautiful.

The gathering also marked an incredible legacy. Nicholas and Maria Frett arrived in Johnsburg, Illinois on August 3, 1841, after years of trying to escape war-torn Germany.

The couple brought 11 children with them, including their youngest, Albany, who was born on the boat and named after it. They purchased 160 acres where the Fox River opens to Pistakee Lake and helped found St. John the Baptist Catholic Church.

Jim Frett, Debbie's cousin and family historian, has uncovered remarkable stories about their ancestors. Three of Nicholas's sons served in the Illinois cavalry during the Civil War. Another son, John, rode with Lt. Col. George Custer's 7th Cavalry and survived the Battle of Little Bighorn in 1876.

"It takes a lot to uproot a family," Jim Frett said. "They certainly didn't speak English." He marvels at how lucky the family is that their ancestors made the journey.

Sunny's Take

This reunion beautifully weaves together past and present courage. Nicholas and Maria Frett crossed an ocean seeking a better life for their children. Nearly two centuries later, their descendant received a second chance at life from a friend willing to give part of herself. Both stories remind us that the greatest human act is showing up for the people we love, whether that means boarding a ship to an unknown land or donating an organ to save a life. The Frett family understands what truly matters: connection, sacrifice, and gratitude.

As Parker and Koerber approach their one-year transplant anniversary, they're living proof that friendship and family create the brightest chapters of our lives.