By TAYLOR STUCK, The Herald-Dispatch
HUNTINGTON — When the West Virginia legislative session began Wednesday, one face was missing from the sea of local delegates.
Del. Sean Hornbuckle, D-Cabell, was confined to his bed for the week, per doctors’ orders, as he continues to recover from surgery to donate his kidney to his sister Kara Hornbuckle.
The Huntington delegate said he plans to return to Charleston this week to continue work to ensure quality education for all, support small business and to make West Virginia socially progressive.
“My main concern was being able to help her,” Hornbuckle said. “That was the biggest thing. It’s in my nature to help anyway.”
Hornbuckle ran for office because he wants to help people, but as a friend pointed out to him recently, saving someone’s life is a lot bigger than helping them.
Kara Hornbuckle was diagnosed with diabetes as a preteen, her brother said. At 25, the disease had wreaked enough havoc on her kidneys that she was moving toward kidney failure. For the past 2 1/2 years, she has been on dialysis. At first, she was able to do it at home, but her condition progressed to needing to visit a dialysis center two to three times a week until she was told she needed a transplant. …
