“I'm sort of on an emotional high. We didn't know each other, so the hospital went all out. We met in a garden there, and there were close to 100 people from the hospital, plus TV and print media, ... It was great.”
“Back in December I decided to become a donor. Two factors swayed me. My brother-in-law received one from his dad; he lasted four and a half years until he died of pneumonia, ... I was very close to him for a brother in law. That was 30 years ago, and it's still in my mind after all these years.”
“Everything matched psychologically and physically. Then it was a matter of just putting me into the (donor) system. I got a week's notice and went to Spokane,”
“It was carefully orchestrated that we didn't meet (in the hospital) during the preparations. They had the recipient and family on one side and me on the other,”
“The transplant center told us how important it was, just raising awareness that people need kidneys. There were 173 people on the waiting list, and now there's one less, ... That's 173 people who are waiting for a cadaveric donor because they don't have a family member who is a match.”
“They paid for my hotel room and everything. I will be under their care for a year, and they will take care of any complications that might result, ... It didn't cost me a thing monetarily, but I do have to watch my diet a little closer. The only thing it interrupted was my golf.”
“It's one of the most personally gratifying things I've ever done. It really made it so when I got to meet Karen and see how healthy she is, ... I can't stress how happy I am that I found out she lives up the road.”
