Grieving dad who lost daughter to kidney disease learns 11-year-old needs kidney — immediately steps up

We might sympathize with other people in pain, but it's often not until we go through a similar situation ourselves that we truly understand them. The anguish we experience personally opens our hearts for others in ways that words alone cannot convey. This, possibly, explains why many grieving parents after losing their kids often go for organ donation, offering others a second chance at life. As per a report in HRSA, 17 people die every single day waiting for an organ transplant. Amidst this tragic reality, a single donor can make a life-saving difference, potentially saving up to 8 people. Andy Emmott, 55, is one such compassionate man who saved a young girl named Amber by donating his kidney, the BBC reported.

Emmott, the kind man from England, had lost his 8-year-old daughter, Sarah, to a severe kidney disease, and his grief drove his decision to save another young girl going through the same misery. Emmott said that he decided to undergo the transplant for Amber, an 11-year-old girl, because his own daughter had received a kidney from a stranger, and this was, perhaps, his way of thanking the universe. Sarah, Emmott's daughter, had undergone a long struggle with congenital nephrotic syndrome — a complex kidney disorder — before she passed away, exactly 364 days after her transplant.

However, despite his personal loss, Emmott decided to dedicate his life to fundraising for Theodora Children's Charity, which supported his daughter during her stay at Leeds General Infirmary. Notably, the aforementioned charity in London is known to send professional performers to children's hospitals to make them feel better mentally. This same organization had also helped Sarah during her treatment, the report claimed. "They brought so much joy and laughter to her and were a great distraction for her," Emmott said. When the grieving father saw the appeal for Amber, his heart sank, seeing so many similarities between her and his late daughter. Emmott, overwhelmed with emotions, instantly stepped up to help Amber in whatever ways he could.

After a successful kidney transplant, thankfully, both Mr. Emmott and Amber have been recovering well, the BBC report said. "For Andy to change the life of another little girl after such a painful loss is incredible," Amanda White, Emmott's manager, said. Further, she revealed how she was awestruck looking at Sarah's pictures everywhere when she went to meet Emmott at his home. "What is obvious is how loved she is and how happy she was despite everything she was going through. In every photo, Sarah is wearing the most infectious smile," she added.

In a similar story, a nurse from Pennsylvania saved a 20-month-old boy diagnosed with a rare genetic disorder by donating a part of her liver. Shortly after his birth, Logan Salva, as per GMA, was diagnosed with Alagille syndrome. When his family understood that he needed an emergency transplant, they began their search for a matching donor. Fortunately, when Makenzie Beach, the nurse, heard about Salva, she was more than ready to help the poor child. "It was the right thing to do in my mind. It's what I would want someone to do for my family," she said. Soon after the transplant, Salva immediately began to show signs of improvement. His skin and eyes that had previously turned pale began to fade away, his complexion improved, and he started looking like a healthy child.