35 years after prom, she heard her old date needed a kidney — she instantly knew what had to be done

A single event can connect two people for life, even if they lose touch in between. A man who needed a kidney got it with the help of the most unexpected person–his high school prom date. The man, Shawn Moyer, had not met the woman in almost 35 years and did not know that she would end up saving his life thanks to her kindness. His former date, Elena Hershey, donated her kidney so he could get a transplant on a priority basis, as reported by ABC27.

The pair went to prom with each other 35 years ago because Moyer's date bailed on him at the last minute for "a better offer." Hershey was a junior at the time and could go to the prom only if a senior invited her. So, even though she was his backup date, she was happy to attend the event. "He needed a backup, and, you know, of course, I would love an invite to a prom. What girl wouldn’t? So I was happy to go," recalled Hershey. Moyer, who is now UPMC’s chief quality officer and a practicing family physician, was voted the most likely to succeed in his high school class. He remembered Hershey as a "smart, pretty, and remarkable person." But after the prom, Moyer went to college and the duo lost touch.

Moyer had his first kidney transplant when he was 16 years old. After 20 years, he needed another transplant, or he would need to start dialysis. At that time, his wife, Alyssa Moyer, donated a kidney to someone, so Moyer got on the priority list and was able to get a kidney transplant faster through a "paired exchange program," according to UPMC. Fast forward to 20 years later, Moyer needed another transplant, but his wife could no longer help him. His other option was dialysis until Hershey stepped in. She was living in Boulder, Colorado, and heard from her close friend, Julie, who was married to Moyer's best friend, Kyle, that Moyer needed a kidney. Hershey had already planned to donate a kidney "altruistically and anonymously." So, when she heard about Moyer, she decided to do it for him.

"I was glad I heard about [Moyer’s need] so that I could contact him and offer him my kidney," Hershey expressed, according to WHTM - abc27 News. They were not a match, but Hershey donated her kidney to a stranger and that once again put Moyer on the priority list under the "paired exchange program." The program allows a person to get a kidney faster in exchange for a donation. A few years before, the donors and recipients had to have an operation at the same time. But now, Hershey could donate her kidney in the summer of 2024 and Moyer would be prioritized for a transplant within the next six months. He got a call for a transplant in February. "He texted me [the news] and I saw it and I caught my breath a little bit and I started to cry a little bit," Hershey revealed.

He had dialysis for 20 months before he finally found his match with Hershey's help. He pointed out that what Hershey did for him was "remarkable." On the other hand, Hershey recovered from the surgery fairly quickly and could return to normal life in a couple of days. A month later, she could even get back to working out. During her surgery, her friend Julie even came in to stay with her so she could help her during the surgery and recovery. Without Hershey's donation, Moyer would have had to wait to get a kidney from a deceased donor, which would have taken significantly longer.

According to the US government, as of February 28, 2025, more than 100,000 people are on the national transplant waiting list. The National Kidney Foundation's Chief Executive Officer Kevin Longino believes a more robust system could help save more lives every day.  "The kidney health landscape is broken. It needs innovation and better oversight," said Kevin Longino, reported NKF. "Patients deserve an equitable, high-performing transplant system that works to maximize the donation and transplantation process. Organ donors and their families who make the selfless decision to save lives through donation deserve a system that honors and preserves their life-saving gift."