Woman donates kidney to save man she went to prom with 35 years ago
If destiny calls for it, some people can have the most wholesome and unexpected reunions or reconnections. You never know how a person you stumble upon today might be an unforgettable addition to your life in the future. For Shawn Moyer, he never would have thought that his junior, Elena Hershey, would become an instrumental part of saving his life decades after taking her to prom, per ABC 27. The duo, who went to prom together after an impromptu decision, reunited when Moyer was in need of a kidney after 35 years. Their connection has sparked a delightful and inspiring hope.
A week before prom, Moyer’s to-be partner ditched him for a “better offer.” With limited time, he didn’t know who would still be available to go with him. Hershey, a junior, came into the picture and was somehow still available for the event. Moyer considered her to be a “smart,” “pretty,” and “incredibly remarkable person,” and decided to take his chance and pop the question. “He needed a backup. And, you know, of course, I would love an invite to a prom. What girl wouldn’t? So I was happy to go,” she recalled. What followed was a memorable evening filled with fun and joy and the duo stayed in touch for a year after.
Though they lost contact, fate reconnected them decades later. Moyer found himself in need of a kidney and when his wife, Alyssa, donated to another recipient who matched with her, he was put on the priority list. Things and people seemed to connect and Moyer’s best friend married Hershey’s best friend and she heard about the man’s need for a transplant through them. The woman gladly offered to help and for Moyer, it was a “remarkable” experience. “I basically knew Elena from 35 years ago. She was my prom date,” he remarked. Unfortunately, her kidney didn’t match with Moyer’s but they didn’t lose hope. Through a paired exchange program, Hershey donated her kidney and within a few months, Moyer received a call that he finally had a match.
“He texted me [the news] and I saw it, and I caught my breath a little bit and I started to cry a little bit,” the woman recalled. Immensely grateful for the donation and the selflessness, Moyer couldn’t help but gleam at his successful surgery and recovery. His new kidney is likely to carry him through to his 70s if all goes well. Hershey noted that donating her kidney wasn’t even that big a hassle. She mentioned that there was discomfort for a few days but she was soon on her path to recovery. “A few weeks of having to rest and a few days of discomfort to extend someone’s life or save someone’s life? It really is kind of a no-brainer,” she noted.
What makes the story wholesome is that despite not being a match for Moyer, Hershey was still able to help him get a transplant while saving another life. Dr. Manish Gupta, a transplant surgeon at UPMC Harrisburg, explained, “So it basically pays itself forward. And it’s a great way of getting a kidney the fastest way possible when your intended donor is not a match with you.”