A Delta Air Lines flight attendant is planning to return to the sky this spring thanks to the selflessness of a complete stranger.
Fox 5 Atlanta reported Oscar David Serrano was battling Stage 5 kidney disease and struggling to find a willing organ donor that would be a match when Kimberly Menders reached out to him back in early September.
"The surgery was done December 28 and I am so thankful to live free from dialysis machines," the 53-year-old Serrano told Fox 5 Atlanta. "We need more Kims in this world."
Serrano spent more than two years searching for a healthy kidney and was forced to spend as much as 12 hours a day connected to a dialysis machine. Despite posting fliers all over, including on his car, inside restaurants and at Atlanta parks, it wasn't until Serrano took his story to social media that Menders-a wife and mother of five from Minneapolis-reached out and offered to help.
While he had received other offers, those donors didn't qualify for the surgery.
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Serrano plans to continue his career as an international flight attendant in April. In the meantime, he aims to raise awareness for others going through his situation and work with lawmakers to make it easier for organ donors to help others.
"While I was waiting for my kidney, I had a lady tell me that she really wanted to donate her kidney but she couldn't because her employer wouldn't give her the time off that she needed for recovery," Serrano told Fox 5 Atlanta. "This should not be considered an elective. These are life-saving procedures and business should do what they can to help organ donors help sick people."
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