MURRAY, Utah (ABC4 News) – A good Samaritan gets to check off his number one item on his to-do list. He donated a kidney!
He was inspired after hearing a motivational speaker talk about giving the gift of life. Today he met the man he saved.
Grateful tears from 30-year-old Mitchell Salas from Woods Cross. The two men meet just 48 hours after the life-saving surgery at Intermountain Medical Center in Murray.
“Not all heroes wear capes. This guy has literally saved my life. I appreciate it so much. I don’t know how I can ever repay you,” said Mitchell Salas, kidney recipient.
“Knowing I can help someone is good enough for me,” said Matthew Thompson, kidney donor.
Donating an organ is one of the most generous acts we see in medicine. But for 32-year-old Matthew Thompson, from Stansbury Park, it was a simple decision.
“There’s no different from this, in me, giving anyone a kidney as to go to your neighbor’s house and unload the groceries. They need help. Why not help?” said Matthew.
Mitchell has had kidney problems his entire life. Several years ago he went into kidney failure. Then a diagnosis of testicular cancer delayed him being on the donor list after several failed attempts of receiving a kidney. His luck changed this week.
Meeting for only a few minutes they are bonded forever. They’re already finding out they have things in common including rooting for the same football team!
“I’m a part of you now. We have to see a Broncos game,” said Mitchell.
Intermountain Medical Center performed 30 living kidney transplants last year.
