The emotional first meeting between a kidney donor and his recipient has touched the hearts of viewers online.
On August 4, Brady Silverwood, the donor, posted a video of the meeting on TikTok, where it quickly gained traction, amassing more than 26,000 likes. The clip shows a visibly moved Silverwood meeting Brian McManus, the man who received his kidney, for the first time a day after the transplant surgery.
The moment, posted to Silverwood’s @spiritleadme81 account, spotlights the effect of organ donation and the emotional connection it can foster between donors and recipients. The 28-year-old said he decided to donate one of his kidneys in response to the overwhelming need for kidney donors in the U.S.
According to the National Kidney Foundation, more than 100,000 Americans are on the waiting list for a kidney transplant, and each day, 12 people die while waiting for a suitable donor.
“When I learned I can live a healthy, normal life with only one kidney, I could not stand by the side of the road and not help my neighbor,” Silverwood, who lives in Charleston, South Carolina, told Newsweek. “I had a healthy kidney, and someone out there needed it.”
Silverwood’s video shows the donor team leading him from his hospital room to meet McManus. McManus and his family expressed their gratitude to Silverwood, though he redirected the credit.
Silverwood mentioned the deep sense of purpose that led to his decision, saying his Christian faith was one of the guiding principles behind his life-changing act of kindness.
@spiritleadme81
“Brian and his family are eternally grateful for the gift I have given them, but I don’t view it as ‘my gift.’ God is the one who first blessed me with a healthy kidney, so it’s really God’s gift to Brian,” he said.
“My heart was beating pretty fast before meeting my kidney recipient,” Silverwood wrote in the video’s caption. “I had no idea whose face I would see as I walked into that room.”
He added: “As soon as I met Brian, a feeling of peace, love, and gratitude filled the room. God is so good y’all. The only way I could get through this whole process was with Him by my side. He is with you wherever you go.”
Kidney Transplants in the U.S.
For many patients in the U.S., the wait for a kidney transplant is a matter of life and death. According to the National Institutes of Health, kidney transplants are the most commonly performed organ transplant in the country, but the demand far exceeds the supply. This imbalance leaves thousands of patients in a precarious position, hoping for a miracle.
“I have had great health my whole life, and in 2024, it was put on my heart to donate my kidney to a stranger when I was incredibly moved by the good Samaritan story,” Silverwood said. “The story teaches you who your neighbor is and how to love your neighbor as you love yourself.”
The response to the video has been overwhelmingly positive, with many viewers commenting on the power of Silverwood’s selfless act.
“Beautiful,” one TikTok user said. “I have had two lung transplants and waiting on a kidney now. Organ donation is a beautiful connection.”
Another added: “I love this so much! You’re amazing.”
“Good for you, just so you know you’ll do just fine with one kidney,” a commenter wrote. “I gave my brother my kidney both of us are doing great. That was 17 years ago! God bless both of you.”
“Every one of us seeks truth and love,” Silverwood said. “And amid the distractions and politics of the world, we can lose sight of who our neighbor is.”
The kidney donor said he was in good health following his operation.
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