"I wanted to donate for my mother-in-law, Lisa Baker. She’s my wife, Brittany’s, mom and we both love her. She’s like a mother a to me. And Brittany and I have two kids and they think the world of this woman. Not only that, but I do too. I’ve been around her for 19 years. When you see somebody who is such a big part of your life and a big part of your family be taken down physically and not able to get around, it eats at you. And when you learn there is something you can do to help, what do you do? You step up to bat.
"Unfortunately, my kidney was not a direct match for Lisa. I was a little apprehensive at the thought of my kidney not going to her and that I would have to give to someone else, but the more I thought about it, it just made sense. Lisa is still getting the same benefit out of it. She’s still getting a healthy kidney that going to help her live. And I’m going to have the opportunity to help her and someone else by giving in honor of her.
"That’s the big thing for me that I realized. I was just looking at saving one person, and wound up saving two. It was more of a blessing that way.
"I have not met the person I donated to yet. At first, I didn’t know that I really wanted to that. I’m not a guy that’s real emotional. I was just happy to help Lisa and whoever received my kidney. My wife wanted to meet them. She wanted to know if it was a kid or teenager, or a father, mother, husband, wife, grandparent.
"I don’t think my donor wanted to meet, and I understand. I do hope that we will be able to one day, though. I would like that. I certainly don’t want them to think they owe me something or that they have to be there for me. That’s not what I got into it for. I got into it to help two people, including someone I love dearly, be healthy again. That’s all I wanted.
"The fact that something like this kidney chain exists it just amazing to me. It’s amazing what science can do. I mean, 70 people in this chain? That tickles me to death. I would have never thought you could do that. I’ve learned a lot from this experience and met a lot of nice people, people that go out of their way to help you. It’s a very amazing program, and I’m just thankful that it has been a blessing in my family’s life."