“My father-in-law, Wade Patten, needed a kidney and it was not a difficult decision for me to give one so he could receive one in return. I lost my father to Alzheimer’s in 2000 at the age of 54, and though donating a kidney did not bring him back, it was something I could do in his memory to preserve the life of my wife’s father.
“God has blessed me with good health so there was no better way to glorify Him than to give the gift of life. I just prayed about it, and He gave me peace through the whole process.
“Organ donation is a beautiful picture of what the Lord does to give us new life. It was an honor and blessing to be part of such a special program as the UAB Kidney Chain, and I am so thankful God gave me the good health to contribute.
“Dr. Jayme Locke and the people at UAB Hospital were great and walked our family through the whole process. My recovery from surgery was painful for a few days, but looking back, I would do it all again. It was worth it to see the healing it has brought our family and to others who have been part of this wonderful experience.”