Retired New Jersey firefighter donates kidney to lifelong friend

Kevin Kenniff and John Dell-Aquilo have had one another’s again since becoming a member of the Cherry Hill Fireplace Division as youngsters.

Kevin remained a firefighter whereas John went on to grow to be a police officer. However the pair remained mates within the 47 years since.

For 20 of these years, John battled kidney illness.

So when John obtained life-threatening information final fall, Kevin instantly jumped in to assist.

In lower than six months, the buddies went from discussing John needing a transplant to discovering out Kevin was a match.

Whereas each have since retired to Florida, they select to do the transplant operation at Thomas Jefferson Hospital in Philadelphia on July 13.

“I nonetheless get choked up after I see Kevin. Simply an unimaginable reward what Kevin did for me,” John stated.

“We go into battle collectively. When John launched me to the residing donor program, I believed it was only a continuation of that path I took to guard my brother and sister firefighters,” Kevin stated.

In keeping with information from the United Community for Organ Sharing, in 2021 there have been greater than 18,000 kidney transplants carried out throughout the USA.

However previously month, 100 individuals per day have been added to the waitlist. Genetically-related members are extra seemingly appropriate residing kidney donors.

“Somebody wants an organ and all of us say, ‘geez we hope somebody helps them out,’ however we’re that somebody,” Kevin stated.

The chums have each retired alongside the Gulf Coast in Florida.

For extra info on turning into a kidney donor CLICK HERE.