Thomas McDonald is the younger brother of William McDonald. In this interview, Tom tells us a little about the lives of Tom and Bill, who were very close as brothers.
Tom and Bill grew up in the midst of the Great Depression. The family lost their house during this time and were forced to live in tents. They had one tent to sleep in, and another to eat in. Young Bill and his father would go out to the woods every day to chop down wood, which they would sell as firewood.
Bill went on to serve in World War II. He arrived in France just after D-Day, and from there went on to march into Belgium, enduring many hardships along this journey.
Bill also had a strong sense of family commitment. When one of their other siblings, John, was in need of a kidney, both Tom and Bill were identified as being suitable donors. Though Tom had planned to donate his kidney, Bill asserted his "right" as the oldest sibling and donated his kidney instead.
Bill, Tom, along with their other siblings, maintained a close relationship as adults. When they all retired, they met for breakfast once every week while they were all alive.
In this interview, Tom illustrates for us these stories and more. We hope you enjoy what he has to share.
