There are some rom-com movies that when you watch them you almost turn the TV off halfway through because they are so unrealistic. Modern love just never seems quite like the fairytales anymore and it can be nauseating to watch some movies that paint serendipity in such insane ways. Yet, every so often, you read a story that is so incredible, that surpasses even the cheesiest of terrible movies, that it makes you believe in the incredible power of love. This is one of those stories.
Every year 100,000 people in the U.S. need a new kidney. Only 17,000 people receive one with just over 5,000 of those coming from a living donor. This means that if you need a kidney you already know your chances are slim of finding one. Danny Robinson was one of those 100,000. He had a tough life since the age of 16 when he contracted a kidney disease. In the same year that he had kidney failure, his father died from a battle with cancer.
Danny would wait for a new kidney for two more years before he got some good news. He was appearing on a local radio station to make an appeal as all of his family members were not suitable donors when one woman heard his plea. Ashley McIntyre was the same age as Danny and approaching her 25th birthday. When she heard about Danny’s problem she couldn’t get it out of her head. She couldn’t help but feel how much he was going through. She decided that for her birthday, she would give him the gift of a kidney.
After rigorous testing, it turned out they were perfect matches and the kidney transplant was done. However, after they spent many weeks together leading up to the operation they realized they were more than matches in just kidneys, they were perfect matches in life as well.
Danny and Ashley quickly fell in love and are now expecting their first child. Danny has had no complications since the surgery and although he has to take medication for the rest of his life, he is at full health. Ashley too has had no issues and the pair are incredibly happy together. Ashley is aware that the kidney she provided Danny will fail in 20 years and she is already working on ways to help him then. She says if she could, she would give him 50 kidneys. This modern love story beats most movies we have seen. Someone call Chris Pratt and Jennifer Lawrence and get it made.
