Patient was facing death without kidney—when he met donor for the first time, his reaction moved everyone to tears
A decision to donate an organ can make the difference between life and death for someone. One veteran had been suffering from stage five kidney failure. The 22-year-old Navy veteran, Kendricks Brown, was told that he'd die at any moment without a kidney transplant. The chances were looking bleak, but the man didn't know that help was right around the corner. All because a mom, Natalie Luvaas, had decided to pay it forward to veterans, per The Western Journal.
Brown had been matched with another donor before, but he passed it up so another veteran in a more critical situation could get a kidney. But after that, Brown's condition got worse too and he needed a kidney as soon as possible. On the other hand, Luvaas, who has two children with special needs, wanted to help someone in need by donating her kidney. So the mom decided to do it through DOVE Transplant - Living Kidney Donation for Veterans. "One rainy day in January 2021, I randomly saw a post on my Facebook feed asking for a kidney donor with O+ blood. I did not hesitate in responding, 'I am!'" Luvaas told DOVE. "I am a big believer in paying it forward and being the change you want to see in the world."
But that wasn't the mom's only reason to become a living kidney donor. "Two of my children are special needs and have a rare genetic condition called Tatton Brown Rahman Syndrome." The syndrome is a multisystem disorder that involves many different tissues, including the nervous system, muscle and blood, per the National Organization for Rare Disorders. It is not inherited from a parent. The disorder can cause heart defects, low muscle tone, mental health issues and more. "Due to complications of this syndrome, I have spent many terrible nights beside my child in the ICU, recovering from surgeries, speaking to countless specialists, therapists, neurologists, etc," Luvaas went on.
"Every time my daughter was admitted to the hospital or diagnosed with another condition, I always prayed if she ever needed anything, if I couldn’t do it, someone, somewhere would be willing to donate to help save her life," the mom expressed. So she wanted to take the chance and be such a person for someone, too. "Now I have the opportunity to be that someone, somewhere, willing to donate to save a life. So here I am." Luvaas, a law enforcement officer and mother of four, was also inspired to donate to a veteran because of her godfather, also a Vietnam War veteran, per another post. "As an American, I owe my freedom to veterans like my godfather. I want to donate my kidney so a veteran can enjoy freedom from dialysis."
Eventually, Luvaas was matched with Brown and her decision turned out to be life-saving for him, per The Western Journal. The surgery took place in August 2021 and Luvaas and Brown met before that. The man was overwhelmed with emotions when he finally met his donor. "He instantly gave me a hug. He started crying and said thank you over and over," Luvaas recalled. The surgery was successful and their story garnered attention and more help for other veterans. The organization received over 100 donor inquiries, per yet another post. 15 more veterans needed their help.
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