Alex Brown

Alex Brown needed a transplant after both his kidneys were severely damaged in a car wreck. His wife underwent testing and learned she was not a match. That’s when Alex’s best friend, Eric Gathers, stepped up to be tested. The two were a match, and soon, Eric donated a kidney to Alex.

“It was really not a big decision,” Eric said. “It was kind of point-blank. I knew what needed to be done and got it done.”

After being on dialysis for a year, Alex felt much better post-transplant.

“[On dialysis], you can’t do this, you can’t eat that; you can’t have any more than 32 ounces of liquid a day — in the middle of summer, that’s not the best,” he said. “When I finally woke up after surgery, I could tell that I felt better.”

Alex is a strong advocate for donation, having experienced the way it can transform people’s lives.

“It’s the most amazing gift, and I am so grateful to have such a generous friend in Eric,” he said. “Whether it’s deceased or a living donor, the best way to prolong other people’s lives is to donate life.”