A text message that was never supposed to land in her phone changed everything for Orlando Police Officer Dani Torres. Officer Marija Sladic had meant to send the message to a colleague named Danielle, explaining she needed to reschedule because she was taking her father, Jovica Sladic, to dialysis training as he battled end-stage kidney disease with less than 15% kidney function remaining. Instead, it went to Torres, her fellow patrol officer, setting off a chain of events that ended with Torres donating one of her kidneys to Sladic’s father.
The Orlando Police Department honored Torres this week with the FOX 35 Care Force Award, recognizing her decision to become a living kidney donor for the father of her squadmate, according to Orlando Police. Sladic and Torres had recently been assigned to the same patrol squad when the misdirected text arrived, according to FOX 35 Orlando, and it was that accidental message that first revealed the severity of Jovica Sladic’s illness to Torres.
This morning, Orlando Police Officer Dani Torres was honored with the FOX35 Care Force Award after donating one of her kidneys to the father of her squadmate, Officer Marija Sladic.Her selfless decision gave him the gift of a healthier future and reflects a commitment to… pic.twitter.com/qEOO7frBrU
— Orlando Police (@OrlandoPolice) August 6, 2026
A Wrong Number That Led to a Life-Saving Offer
Rather than simply reschedule and move on, Torres reached out after learning what her colleague’s family was going through. What followed was a lengthy process of medical screening required of any potential living donor, a process that took an unexpected turn for Torres herself. During mandatory pre-donation testing, she faced a health scare of her own, requiring a breast biopsy, the station’s report notes. The biopsy ultimately came back benign, and doctors went on to confirm that Torres was a compatible match for Jovica Sladic…