The Ohio State Wexner Medical Center performs six-way kidney transplant

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WSYX/WTTE) — A chain reaction transformed the lives of a dozen people, giving them a second chance to live. According to the United Network of Organ Sharing, there are more than 113,000 people who need a lifesaving organ transplant, and two-thirds of them are waiting for a kidney. Friday morning at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center six kidney recipients met their guardian angles for the first time.

Michelle Bonner of Newark tried to donate her kidney to her friend. She wasn’t a match but still wanted to help some way.

"I went ahead and entered in the donor exchange program hoping that they could get 2 or 3 or 4,” laughed Bonner who became a kidney donor. “Never expected this many."

She kicked off this long chain reaction that helped six others in need of a kidney. Her kidney went to Roger Utendorf of Ottawa, Ohio.

"It's so exciting! And I saw him walking in the hall a couple of times, and I was like, ‘Oh I never knew he was him,’" said Bonner.

Utendorf has been waiting for this day for two long years.

“It's been an amazing ride, let’s put it that way,” said Utendorf after meeting his donor for the first time. “This has been really wild!”

"Shannon was not able to give her kidney directly to Roger. So Shannon, amazingly matched Kimberly,” said a nurse as she matched all the donors to their recipients.

And that’s how the chain kept going.

Family couldn't help their loved ones but were perfect matches for strangers.

“Because of the generosity of such people who donated a kidney we could achieve it. I mean, we’re doing our job but the hero is the donor who really went through this amazing surgery to help someone else,” said Dr. Amer Rajab one of the transplant surgeons at Ohio State Wexner Medical Center.

Donors stepped up as far as Chicago to help. They signed each other’s keepsake pillows, even got matching shirts that read “Straight Outta Transplant Surgery.” A link that created an everlasting bond, inside and out.

"First time I met her and I feel like I've known her forever and I know I will from now on,” laughed Utendorf as he hugged his kidney donor Bonner.

Many of the donors went home Friday and told us if they had a chance to do it all over again, they would.

This was the hospital's third six-way kidney transplant

Click here to learn more about the kidney exchange program at the Ohio State Wexner Medical Center.

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Follow Jackie Orozco on Facebook and Twitter: @JackieWSYX6