Months later, Calderbank, 49, is preparing to donate one of his kidneys to Nina Saria – formerly a stranger from Craigslist and now a friend.
Advertisement
Saria, of Egg Harbor City, N.J., suffers from kidney failure because of an autoimmune disease and has been on the donor list for more than a year.
Then, after three months of testing, Calderbank said he was cleared to donate his kidney to Saria. “I feel like [Jessica’s] been my angel showing me the way and I know for sure she sent me that ad”.
Mr Calderbank says the ad bore eerie resemblance to one he himself posted years earlier for ailing wife Jessica, who succumbed to diabetes in 2011.
“There are no words, actions, to express the thoughts and feelings towards this man, but I’m happy”, Kay Saria said.
Calderbank’s first wife was on a waiting list for two years before receiving a kidney and pancreas from a cadaver, but her body rejected the organs. “I want to get tested for you, ‘” Calderbank said.
“She was speechless. I could tell she was tearing up a little bit on the phone when I told her”, Calderbank said. “And I like the shirt”.
The surgery is scheduled for December 1 at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, Saria said. “I’ve never had any medical problems and I am, on objective, going to have my body opened up and have a part taken out. But I’m doing it because I want to help”, he told NJ.com.
“[He and Sue] are family who will stay with me until the end of my life”.
Nina Saria said she hadn’t expected a reply on the post.
Calderbank is self-employed and will be out of work after next week’s surgery, so the Saria’s set up a GoFundMe account to help cover his expenses while he’s recovering.
Advertisement
The campaign has since received more than $14,660 ($AUS20,179) in public donations, exceeding the target of $13,000 ($AUS17,894). “Thank you again everyone”.
