Stranger to savior: Detroit mom's kidney donation Facebook plea answered by Kentucky woman
Detroit woman finds match for kidney donation in stranger from Kentucky on Facebook
The date has been re-scheduled for April 27th. Because of travel costs, lodging and everything insurance doesn't cover, the women started a GoFundMe page called Faith Over Fear, hoping to raise enough money to support them and their children until they can get back to work.
DETROIT (FOX 2) - "After I had my child, it put too much strain on the kidney - and that’s when it shut down," said Kyra Taylor.
The Detroit woman was considered one of the lucky ones after she found a kidney donor in 2018, but last May she caught Covid.
The 32-year-old single mother spent 10 days hospitalized, battling the virus, and survived, but her transplanted kidney shut down. It forced her back on dialysis for three hours, three times a week.
"I got a child, I want to go back to work," she said.
She posted a desperate plea on Facebook - hoping for a live kidney donor.
"I was manifesting miracles and the next day, the first thing I see is a Facebook post that someone needs a kidney," said Alexandra McCarthy.
Somehow the post made it to Alexandra McCarthy in Kentucky. After years of substance abuse the 29-year-old had recently turned her life around, had a baby, and went back to school. She said she started learning about manifesting through meditation.
"Now I am able to save a life," Alexandra said. "It’s kind of a no-brainer. I have two kidneys – she needs one kidney to be able to live."
"She in-boxed me out of the blue, and said 'I think I’m a match,'" Kyra said.
It had only been a few days, but Kyra had found her live kidney donor, and it turned out Alexandra was a perfect match.
"I was shocked, I didn’t think there were people out there like her, the way the world is," she said. "When she went to get her blood drawn that’s when it hit me - she’s actually going to do this."
The women met for the first time last November at Henry Ford Health, when Alexandra traveled to town for preliminary blood work.
Unfortunately, because of Covid, the transplant date has been pushed back several times.
The date has been rescheduled for April 27th. Because of travel costs, lodging and everything insurance doesn't cover, the women started a GoFundMe page called Faith Over Fear, hoping to raise enough money to support them and their children until they can get back to work.
"A blessing to be able to bless her, she is a sweet girl and she deserves another chance at life – if anyone deserves four kidneys it’s her," Alexandra said.
Kyra and Alexandra started as two complete strangers - but now consider each other family.
"I call her my sister - my kidney sister," Kyra said.
"We're kidney sisters," said Alexandra. "I got to meet her whole family – my baby has cousins."
"I love you so much for doing this," Kyra said.
"I love you girl forever," Alexandra said.
To learn more about the Living Donor program at Henry Ford GO HERE.
To donate to the GoFundMe for Kyra and Alexandra, GO HERE.