JANESVILLE, WISCONSIN (WISN/CNN) - A Wisconsin police officer went beyond the call of duty to save a young boy's life.
From the day Jackson Arneson was born, his mom Kristi Goll didn't know how many birthdays he would have.
"As a life expectancy for him, it wasn't very positive," Goll said.
Jackson was diagnosed with a condition that causes his kidneys to slowly stop working.
His mother knew that a kidney transplant was inevitable.
"The labs were just not showing he wasn't going to be healthy through another winter. I think it was that day I put it on Facebook right away. I was looking for Jackson's hero," Goll said.
In the next town over, Milton police officer Lindsey Bittorf saw Goll's plea on Facebook.
"I looked at my then 2-year-old child and said if it were him and I needed someone to save my kid's life, I would hope somebody like me would do it," Bittorf said.
After an agonizing month-and-a-half wait, hope landed in Goll's inbox.
"I sent her a Facebook message saying I don't want to get your hopes up but I am in the process, I got tested," Bittorf said.
After more tests, and more waiting to see if she was a match, Bittorf learned, it was a go.
Jackson and his family had no idea she was a match so Bittorf and her husband decided to surprise them with the news.
"I had no idea what was going on. She gave me a gift and then gave Jackson a gift. I ripped opened the gift, and the first word said kidney. I knew that's what it was." Goll said. “It was her saying I'm here to save Jackson's life. "
After a successful surgery, she did just that.
Bittorf said the risks of donating her kidney are less than what she faces on the job.
"I took an oath to serve and protect my community and now my kidney will serve and protect you," Bittorf said.
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