Every April, we celebrate National Donate Life Month to raise awareness about organ donation. Today, we honor Natasha who gave her kidney to Walter. They were complete strangers before the surgery, but now donor they share a lifesaving bond and discovered they share a similar heritage as well.
One of the miracles of modern medicine is how organ donation matches two people who seem completely different. Walter is a widower in his mid-60s with grandkids. For years, he owned and operated a Middle Eastern market and deli in Knoxville. Natasha lives in Andersonville, north of Knoxville. “I’m a wife and mom with two kids, 10 and 8,” she said. “I was a child therapist, but now I’m focused on home schooling.” To Walter, she’s heaven-sent. “Natasha is my angel,” he says. Once strangers, they’re now linked for life because Natasha donate her kidney to him.
“I’m an overweight, middle-aged gal. I didn't think I’d be the ideal candidate,” Natasha said. “As a mom, you often don’t take care of yourself; you take care of your kids. But all the donor tests kept coming back as a good match.” Natasha said that her decision to donate a kidney was a spiritual one. “I couldn’t sleep one night, and as I was scrolling through Facebook, I saw Walter’s story. As soon as the video ended, I heard God say, ‘What if that was you?’” Then, a month later she was bowling with her family when she noticed an organ donation story playing on the TV. “And I thought, ‘Oh yeah, whatever happened with Walter?, she said.
For Walter, needing a new kidney was just one of several challenges he’d faced. “I’ve had kidney trouble since I was 19, and about six years ago, they discovered a cyst.” It turned out to be cancerous, and Walter’s kidney was successfully treated by Dr. Wesley White, a urologist at UT Medical Center. Not long after, Walter’s wife passed away after her own cancer battle with lymphoma. Then, Walter’s kidneys began to deteriorate. “My creatinine score started going up. When it gets to 10, they begin to consider dialysis.” Creatinine is a waste product filtered by the kidneys. If blood tests show higher creatinine levels, it could mean the kidneys aren’t working right. “I was ill for three years. The last two were rough,” he said.
At first, Walter went to a clinic for dialysis, but eventually, he was able to do the treatment at home. His son, daughter-in-law and two grandkids moved south from Pennsylvania to run the family business. And when it became clear that he would need a new kidney, Walter’s son wrote “looking for donors” on a whiteboard in the store, and they also reached out to WBIR TV. When the story aired, it ended with Walter saying, “I am in God’s hands.” Hearing those words is when Natasha realized her calling while passing time on Facebook. She reached out to Lanny Martin, UT Medical Center's Living Donor Coordinator. “In the middle of the conversation, he put me on hold. And I prayed, ‘God, give me a sign,”’ she said. When Lanny came back on the line, he asked about her blood type. “I told him O positive, and he said, ‘That’s great, so is Walter.’ I just felt a peace about the whole thing from that moment on.”
Natasha started testing to become a donor in December 2023. “Turns out I had 11 potential donors, but Natasha’s was the perfect kidney,” Walter said. Almost a year later, the surgery took place at UT Medical Center on November 4, 2024. “Of course, they poke and prod you,” Natasha said. “But once you’ve had children, it’s nothing. I was a little bit tired and sore, but not as bad as I thought it might be.” For Walter, “It was a little painful,” he said, laughing. “But you know, I was blessed. When Natasha was going home, she came to my room. It was very emotional. It was the first time I had ever met her. She was my angel, that’s what I told her.” Natasha was equally moved. “It was pretty amazing. It was truly a gift to meet Walter and his family. He’s so sweet and has such a big heart.”
While Walter’s medical team took care of the transplant and monitored his recovery, Walter’s brother from Michigan arrived to help at home. Today, Walter is adjusting to his new life. He’s no longer working but still stays involved at his store. Recently, Walter invited Natasha and her family over for a celebratory dinner. “It was mansaf, a traditional Jordanian/Palestinian meal: lamb and yogurt sauce, topped with pine nuts,” Walter said. “They enjoyed it. We had a great time.” Turns out, Walter and Natasha have a shared heritage, too. “He reminds me of my father because they’re both Middle Eastern,” she said. “It’s just such a cool thing to be connected to another human being like this. It was amazing.”
Thank you for sharing this incredible story of generosity and gratitude, Walter and Natasha! If you’d like to learn more about becoming a life-saving living kidney donor, contact the Center for Transplant Services at [email protected] or call 865-305-5340. #DonateLife