A churchgoer who needed a new kidney couldn’t believe his luck when the preacher at the very same church offered to donate one of his to him. If that’s not a righteous act, we don’t know what is.
Richard Terry sat in his hospital bed with donor Mitch Davis by his side. “This is what love looks like,” Terry said, showing a photo of the pair holding thumbs up in the air.
Mitch Davis is the preacher at Franklin Church of Christ, the religious institution that Terry attends on a regular basis. Terry recently celebrated three months with his new kidney intact. It’s an amazing moment, seeing that the three years prior had been extremely difficult for him.
“It’s very emotional because I will carry a part of Mitch with me the rest of my life,” Terry said joyfully. “To have someone you’ve only known six or seven years who is a part of your church do this for you is the most selfless thing.”
When 68-year-old Terry was diagnosed with stage four chronic kidney disease two years ago, he wasn’t sure how life was going to play out. “Your cognitive function is affected, and you sleep a lot,” he said.
“I slept off and on, because it’s hard to stay awake. There’s only five stages of kidney disease if that tells you how bad off I was.” So Terry, who was a nurse for 40 years, waited on the transplant list like many others. He knew that it could be a long waiting period.
When Terry posted on Facebook to see if any friends/family knew of a potential donor, Davis seized the opportunity to help. “I was very quick on my decision,” he said. “I tested, and then the rest unfolded. In my mind, I am thinking, ‘I am healthy,’ and I was like, ‘Let’s make it work.'”
