"That post changed my life"

Thanks to Maria Wilson for sharing her story with us. Want to share your own story? Fill out the form here.

At age 25, I was diagnosed with Alport Syndrome, a rare genetic disorder that causes progressive kidney disease as well as problems with the inner ear and eyes. For many years I stayed strong, managed my health, and tried to live as normally as possible. But after two decades of battling the disease, my kidneys eventually went into complete failure. I was referred to the Mayo Clinic to begin the process of evaluation and placement on the kidney transplant waiting list.

During that evaluation, doctors found a mass on my right kidney. Before I could even qualify for transplant, I needed surgery to remove it. A remarkable surgeon performed a partial nephrectomy and removed a 2.5 cm tumor, which was diagnosed as Renal Cell Carcinoma. Four months later, I underwent another surgery, and just four days after that, I began urgent-start peritoneal dialysis 8 hours every single night while I slept.

My sister traveled from North Carolina to be with me. When she saw me training to learn how to do dialysis at home, it broke her heart. Out of love and fear of losing me, she shared my story on social media, asking friends and family to consider becoming a living donor.

That post changed my life.

A cousin we had never met reached out after seeing the message. She told us that her daughter, my second cousin, had felt compelled to register as an organ donor and was one week away from completing her testing. When she learned about what I was going through, she felt called to donate specifically to me.

We soon discovered that her great-grandfather and my grandfather were brothers. Then came the miracle: she was approved, and she was a 100% match.

My transplant took place on June 16, 2022. My cousin had surgery at Georgetown University Hospital in Washington, D.C. Her kidney was flown directly to Jacksonville, where I received it at the Mayo Clinic. The surgery was successful, and because of her generosity, I was given a second chance at life.

I believe with all my heart that this was God’s plan. He placed it in her heart to become a donor long before we knew each other. Then, when I needed hope the most, He brought us together. Even more meaningful, we learned the news of her approval in April, National Donate Life Month.

Today, I am blessed to be here, healthy and able to enjoy life again. My son will graduate high school in May 2026, and I look forward to watching him build a beautiful future. This journey taught me that miracles are real, that family can arrive in unexpected ways, and that a single act of love can save a life.

Through faith, perseverance, and the selflessness of my cousin, I was given the greatest gift, the gift of life.