Deals & Steals for you and your home!

Open menu

  • Video
  • Shop
  • Culture
  • Family
  • Wellness
  • Food
  • Living
  • Style
  • Travel
  • News
  • Book Club
  • GMA3: WYNTK
  • Newsletter
  • Privacy Policy
  • Your US State Privacy Rights
  • Children's Online Privacy Policy
  • Interest-Based Ads
  • Terms of Use
  • Do Not Sell My Info
  • Contact Us
  • © 2023 ABC News
  • Wellness

Widow, late husband donate kidneys to same man 16 years apart

VIDEO: Husband and wife donate kidneys to the same man
1:29
Husband and wife donate kidneys to the same man
ABCNews.com
ByKatie Kindelan
June 24, 2020, 9:40 am

When Terri Herrington's husband Bryan died 16 years ago in a workplace accident at the age of 35, five of his organs -- his heart, lungs, kidney, pancreas and liver -- helped to save the lives of four people.

One of those people, Jeffrey Granger, received both Brian's pancreas and kidney in a lifesaving double organ transplant.

Editor’s Picks

How one mother fought to change an organ transplant policy to save her daughter's life

  • Sep 12, 2018

17-year-old gets 'Christmas miracle' with new heart and kidney

  • Dec 20, 2019

2-year-old who received new heart during pandemic finally heads home

  • May 19, 2020

"I went off dialysis. I went off insulin," Granger, who had been an insulin-dependent diabetic for 28 years prior to the transplant, told "Good Morning America." "It was like somebody opened the gate and set me free."

MORE: How one woman went from a double lung transplant to a gold medal

After the transplant, Granger, now 59, wanted to meet and thank Bryan's surviving family for saving his life.

Herrington, who raised a 5-year-old and 2-month-old alone after Bryan's death, also wanted to meet the people whose lives Bryan had saved. When she and her kids met Granger and his wife one year after the transplant, the two families just clicked.

PHOTO: Terri Herrington, far left, poses with Jeff and Pam Granger.
Terri Herrington, far left, poses with Jeff and Pam Granger.
Terri Herrington

"My son when he was a toddler he put his hand on Jeff’s stomach and asked him, ‘Is my dad in there?’ and Jeff said, ‘Yes he is and I’m going to keep him alive as long as possible,'" Herrington recalled. "It started out as a healing process because you realize your husband has helped all these people continue in their lives."

"Then we’ve become close friends over time," she said of her friendship with Granger, who lives about three hours away from Herrington in northern Florida.

When Granger, a retired electrician, started to get sick again last year and had to go back on dialysis because his transplanted kidney was failing, he reluctantly called Herrington.

"It was very hard to tell her I needed a new kidney," said Granger. "I didn’t want to break her heart because it’s another piece of Brian that has left."

PHOTO: Bryan Herrington poses with his two children before his death in 2004.
Bryan Herrington poses with his two children before his death in 2004.
Terri Herrington

Herrington said she could tell Granger was a "little shaken up" on the phone. When she heard that he was in need of a new kidney, her response was fast.

"I told him, ‘Well Jeff I’ve been thinking about becoming a living donor. What do I need to do?'" she recalled. "He just didn’t believe me I guess because about a month later he put on Facebook that he was in search of a kidney that was A+ [blood type] and I’m like, ‘Dude, did you think I was kidding when I said I was considering this?'"

"He said, ‘I didn’t take you seriously,’ and I said, ‘Well I am serious so get on with it,'" said Herrington, who within the next month was already undergoing blood work to become Granger's kidney donor.

Herrington was ultimately determined by doctors to be a kidney match for Granger, just like her late husband was 16 years ago.

MORE: After their dad died in need of a kidney transplant, 2 sisters donate their kidneys to strangers

The pair underwent a successful kidney transplant at UF Health Shands Hospital in Gainesville, Florida, in March.

PHOTO: Terri Herrington, of Pensacola, Florida, became a kidney donor when she donated her kidney to Jeff Granger.
Terri Herrington, of Pensacola, Florida, became a kidney donor when she donated her kidney to Jeff Granger.
Louis Brems/University of Florida

"I’ve been doing this about 25 years and I have not seen this combination," said Dr. Kenneth Andreoni, one of the two surgeons who performed the procedure on Granger. "I’ve heard a lot of unusual stories [kidney donations] but this one I had not heard of before."

The surgeons left Granger's failed donated kidney in his body, a common practice, so Herrington's kidney is now right next to the kidney donated by her late husband.

"We are right next to each other helping him live," said Herrington, who described her late husband as a "very giving" person. "It’s kind of neat. My sister-in-law said, 'Now you and your husband are back together.'"

The fact that Herrington and her late husband could both be a kidney match for the same person is not as unusual as people may think, according to Andreoni. He said Herrington's decision to be a living donor for Granger has likely doubled his life expectancy.

PHOTO: Terri Herrington, left, donated her kidney to Jeff Granger in March 2020.
Terri Herrington, left, donated her kidney to Jeff Granger in March 2020.
Louis Brems/University of Florida

"Most people who want to be a donor can donate their kidney," said Andreoni. "Don’t be concerned about the perfect match of it. Most living donors aren’t direct blood relatives these days because you just have to be blood compatible."

Granger said that just like 16 years ago, the kidney transplant has completely changed his life.

"My kidney shut down in January of 2019 and the dialysis was really rough on me this time and I had no energy, nausea and just wanted to stay home," he said. "I do everything now that I was doing before I got sick. I’m back to normal."

Herrington said she had no hesitation about giving Granger one of her kidneys and hopes the successful transplant means they can have many more years of their friendship.

"A lot of people have asked me, 'Well what if you need your kidney and I say, ‘What if I don’t need my kidney?’ I can’t live off the ‘what ifs’ because then I’m not living," she said. "Jeff and I have had the connection with my husband and now we have the connection with mine. It’s even greater."

PHOTO: Terri Herrington, left, donated her kidney to Jeff Granger in March 2020.
Terri Herrington, left, donated her kidney to Jeff Granger in March 2020.
Louis Brems/University of Florida

Both Granger and Herrington said they are sharing their unique story in hopes of raising the awareness of organ donation. More than 110,000 people in the United States currently need a lifesaving organ transplant, according to the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS).

"If you can sign up today, be an organ donor please," said Granger. "Share your organs. Please sign up today."

Editor’s Picks

How one mother fought to change an organ transplant policy to save her daughter's life

  • Sep 12, 2018

17-year-old gets 'Christmas miracle' with new heart and kidney

  • Dec 20, 2019

2-year-old who received new heart during pandemic finally heads home

  • May 19, 2020
Up Next in Wellness—

What Oprah Winfrey said about drugs used for weight loss like Ozempic, Mounjaro

September 21, 2023

Mom speaks out on daughter's death after water bead recall

September 21, 2023

FDA discusses using artificial wombs to help save preemie babies: What to know about the new technology

September 21, 2023

Morning exercisers tend to have healthier habits, which can help with weight loss, study finds

September 20, 2023

Up Next in Wellness—

What Oprah Winfrey said about drugs used for weight loss like Ozempic, Mounjaro

September 21, 2023

Mom speaks out on daughter's death after water bead recall

September 21, 2023

FDA discusses using artificial wombs to help save preemie babies: What to know about the new technology

September 21, 2023

Morning exercisers tend to have healthier habits, which can help with weight loss, study finds

September 20, 2023

The latest lifestyle and entertainment news and inspiration for how to live your best life - all from Good Morning America.
  • Contests
  • Terms of Use
  • Privacy Policy
  • Do Not Sell My Info
  • Children’s Online Privacy Policy
  • Advertise with us
  • Your US State Privacy Rights
  • Interest-Based Ads
  • About Nielsen Measurement
  • Press
  • Feedback
  • ABC News
  • ABC
  • All Videos
  • All Topics
  • Sitemap

© 2023 ABC News
  • Privacy Policy— 
  • Your US State Privacy Rights— 
  • Children's Online Privacy Policy— 
  • Interest-Based Ads— 
  • Terms of Use— 
  • Do Not Sell My Info— 
  • Contact Us— 

© 2023 ABC News