Man Gets Kidney From Old Classmate He Hadn’t Seen In 50+ Years.

two men's high school year book photos

They knew each other only vaguely in high school. But the shared camaraderie of those youthful days was enough to bring together two men for a life-saving operation, and it all came together under the most unlikely circumstances.

Kenneth Walker and Charlie Ball were both enrolled in the Class of ’69 at Archbishop Carroll High School in Washington, D.C. Since they weren’t friends, they had no reason to stay in touch during the next 50-odd years, and their lives veered off in different directions.

Kenneth stayed in Washington, D.C., and works for various media outlets, while Charlie now works in the corporate world in California. By all appearances, they had only one thing in common: Archbishop Carroll.


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Now fast forward to 2016.

While on assignment with National Public Radio in South Africa, Kenneth fell ill, and was forced to go on dialysis on his return home. He knew it was just a matter of time unless he found a kidney donor.

He put his name down on every wait list he could find — including, on the suggestion of a high school friend who he has stayed in touch with, the listserv for graduates of Archbishop Carroll.


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In the subject line, he wrote simply: “A request for life.â€

It is nearly impossible for me to come to terms with what I must ask of you, and that is your help in finding a kidney donor so that I can have a chance to improve my quality of life — and perhaps even to extend it beyond the expected span of a dialysis patient.

Consider being an organ donor after death and also, help me by sharing my story with everyone you know. At the very least, I want to bring awareness to kidney disease and living donation.

I am hopeful my efforts will help me receive a kidney sooner and encourage others to consider helping the many people on the wait list.

He was shocked when he got a response less than 15 minutes later. From someone he barely even remembered. “Immediately, I get this response from Charlie and you’re suspicious. What’s wrong with this guy?â€


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Charlie’s message was simple: He’d call the hospital in the morning, and in the meantime “pray that you get what you need.â€


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Doctors rarely accept donors over the age of 60, but Charlie’s in incredible shape and they made a special exception. He underwent testing in California and racked up “significant travel and other out-of-pocket expenses”while traveling back and forth to Washington, D.C., ahead of the procedure. (But donors have contributed more than the $5,000 goal to his GoFundMe page to recoup those costs.)


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Finally, the day arrived. Earlier this week, the two men underwent the transplant operation at Washington, D.C.’s George Washington University Hospital, and both are expected to be released later this week.

“(It’s) some example of humanity, we really need to get back to it,” Kenneth said.


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For Charlie, it’s much more simple: “I’m giving him a piece of my body,”he said. “It’s simple enough, God gave me two, I don’t have to wonder why.â€

Share if Charlie’s incredibly generous gesture touched your heart today.

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