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Durga and school custodian Pat Mertens began working at Kimball Elementary School in Kimball, Minnesota, in the identical 12 months, 2011.
For the previous 9 years, their households have been effectively acquainted. Durga’s youngsters referred to as Mertens “Papa” as they grew up in his spouse’s daycare.
It was identified on the school that Mertens was on dialysis, provided that the 64-year-old left school for remedy three days every week.
The school group organized a “Hats for Pat” fundraiser on January 31 to assist pay for Mertens transportation to dialysis. But nobody knew the severity of his well being woes till his daughter, Kayla Matten, posted a plea for a kidney donor to social media that evening.
“We are now in the process of trying to find someone with an O blood type and someone who is willing to donate their kidney,” Matten wrote in a Facebook put up.
“Some family has been tested and unfortunately they are not the same blood type or have other health issues that restrict them from donating,” Matten wrote. “We know what prayer can do, and getting the word out there.”
Durga says she noticed the put up and with out hesitation determined she could be the one to assist.
“I’d been wanting for a while to do something big for someone. I just didn’t know what it was going to be,” Durga instructed CNN. “When I read the post from his daughter, I just got chills. I had a feeling it was going to be my something. I knew from that moment that I was going to be a match.”
Mertens’ spouse, Lynda, shared the identical feeling. The subsequent day, Durga contacted Lynda to inform her of her plans to be a donor. “She was sitting next to her daughter and she turned and said it’s going to be Erin,” Durga mentioned. “We both just knew.”
The transplant course of was delayed when the coronavirus pandemic hit. However, they had been ready to transfer ahead with digital lab visits and appointments, and even by the mail.
On June 12, Durga discovered she and Mertens had been a match. She organized a celebration at his dwelling and wore a inexperienced shirt to symbolize kidney illness, with “Donor” written throughout the chest. The two had been overwhelmed by emotion.
“Pat’s not a lot for words, not a lot for hugging. But we hugged and we were just so excited, both of us, that it was truly going to happen,” Durga mentioned. “He was going to get a new kidney.”
The transplant surgical procedure occurred on July 3. Durga says she was by no means nervous as a result of she knew this was an occasion that was supposed to occur.
Today, each sufferers have recovered. And each returned to work on the school when it reopened within the fall, with social distancing measures in place. Due to the rise in conronavirus circumstances within the space, the school modified to a distance studying mannequin on November 16.
Mertens says he feels wonderful along with his new kidney and is grateful to Erin and all his medical doctors and medical stuff.
“All we can say is that she’s an angel,” Mertens mentioned of Durga.
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