EASTPOINT, Fla. (WTXL) — Franklin County Sheriff AJ Smith had his kidney donated to him by his wife Helen, back in September. This is their organ donation story.
- Sheriff Smith has been living with kidney failure for around 10 years.
- His wife Helen was the only person to match with him after many friends and family tested.
- Watch the video below to learn more about their organ donation story.
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
"Donation saves lives."
That’s what the flag flying high at the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office says as it rings true for one of their own.
Sheriff AJ Smith says that kidney disease is a silent disease and advocates for everyone to stay on top of their health.
"It's a big thing for somebody to give part of their body, their organ, to somebody, and it's nothing to be taken lightly," said Sheriff AJ Smith, Franklin County Sheriff.
Sheriff Smith had been fighting kidney disease for the past 10 years, with his kidneys functioning at less than 60%. After doing all the proper tests to see if he was eligible to be on the transplant waiting list, he was placed on it last year.
Since there are around 90,000 people waiting for new kidneys, the wait can be 5-8 years. With this wait, many people in the county decided to test.
"It was very humbling, and I was very appreciative, because so many people wanted to donate," said Sheriff Smith. "I mean, I had inmates in the jail. They're like, 'hey, sheriff, we'll give you a kidney.' I mean, I was speechless sometimes because people really were showing their love and their care and their compassion and and it was really nice."
It wasn’t until his wife, Helen, decided to test and she was a perfect match.
"So for me, it was sort of a meant-to-be sort of thing. And I know that if the roles were reversed, he would have been the first in line to donate to me," said Helen Willis, the sheriff’s wife and organ donor.
The two had the transplant in mid-September, almost one year after Sheriff Smith was added to the transplant waiting list
Helen says that recovery has been going well for her physically, but there’s more to it that she didn’t expect.
"I will say the mental aspect of it was probably the side I wasn't fully prepared for, like, just sort of the weight of it," explained Willis. "You're you're so focused on your loved one and helping them, and then you don't so much think about your own."
AJ has also been recovering well and is also doing light work at the office. Both AJ and Helen want to help increase awareness of organ donation
"I mean, there's a reason I got this disease, and maybe it's because I'm to be an advocate, and that's what I'm going to do," said Sheriff Smith.
"I would say anybody on the fence thinking about it, it's absolutely worth it. It's an amazing gift to be able to give somebody," said Willis
Sheriff Smith says they plan on having blue and green badges in April in support of National Donate Life Month. If you wish to know more about organ donation, please visit donatelife.net.
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