By FireRescue1 Staff
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — An Arkansas fire chief donated one of his kidneys to a young woman he’d never met before after seeing a Facebook plea from an old school friend.
Maumelle Fire Chief Gerald Ezell underwent surgery earlier this month to donate his kidney to 18-year-old Sidney Burnett, who lives in Missouri, according to KATV.
“I saw that (my old school friend’s) daughter was in need of a kidney, and we had the same blood type. I just felt like God was saying, hey, this is you. Step across that line,” Ezell said.
Ezell lost 30 pounds in one month in order to be approved for the surgery, which took place at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota.
The chief is now recovering from the operation and ready to get back to work. Burnett is also recovering and hopes to be back home in time for New Year’s. Both hoped their story would encourage others to consider organ donation.
“It’s a little bit of pain for the person that’s donating, but man, the smile on Sidney’s face made it more than worth it for me,” said Ezell.
https://www.facebook.com/MaumelleFire/posts/10158170643036614?__tn__=-R