Small Town Ohio Woman Donates Kidney To Stranger After Seeing Facebook Plea

A good Samaritan sprang into action, donating a kidney to a young man who posted a plea for the organ on Facebook.

Lesley Tietz, of the small town of Southington, Ohio, decided to donate a kidney to 25-year-old Joe Dorsey. The two are perfect strangers but live just a mile apart. They arranged to meet after Tietz saw Dorsey’s GoFundMe page shared on Facebook, WNEP, an ABC affiliate in Cleveland reported Tuesday.

"When I read it, I just felt I wanted to do it," Tietz told the news outlet.

Dorsey, a sophomore in college at the time, was diagnosed with IGA Nephropathy, which is a kidney disease, in December of 2012. His condition had worsened by September 2016.

"The doctors then started talking about a kidney transplant," Dorsey said.

The 25-year-old old took to the internet looking for help. He posted his search for a new kidney on Facebook in January. Tietz’s son then reposted the request and that’s how she stumbled upon it.

"I really felt right then that it was the right thing that was supposed to happen and everything from the first step all the way to the end went so easily that you couldn’t argue with it," Tietz said.

Tietz’s offer was timely as Dorsey’s health deteriorated.

"I had to start going to dialysis," Dorsey said. "I felt at 25 that I was missing so much. It was difficult."

The kidney transplant took place on Sept. 20, at the Cleveland Clinic. in Ohio. Dorsey is now recovering and mulling a career in teaching.

"I just love her and appreciate everything she did for me," Dorsey said. "And I am looking forward to getting a teaching job, getting a house and living the American dream."

Dorsey is doing better but is missing work during recovery and needs help paying off substantial hospital debt. His family started a new GoFundMe page to collect donations for his bills.

Dorsey successfully received a kidney in less than a year’s time, however, most people aren’t as fortunate. According to Organ Donation and Transplantation Statistics, over 3,000 new patients are placed on the kidney waiting list each month. An estimated 13 people die each day while waiting for a kidney transplant and every 14 minutes another patient is added to the list.