MEMPHIS, Tenn. — A remarkable reunion took place Wednesday at Methodist University Hospital as a kidney recipient met her donor’s family for the first time.
Reggie Smith Jr. tragically passed away in a car accident in 2018 but his legacy lives on.
In a heartwarming moment, for the first time, Ebony Jordan met the family of the man who gave her a second chance at life.
A search for the perfect match, North Carolina six-year-old in need of donor
“This feels great. It feels different. I can feel the connection,” Jordan said.
As the families prepared to meet in separate rooms, Reggie’s mother, Tremetrius Barnes
waited patiently, anticipating the emotional encounter with the recipient of her son’s life-changing gift.
Barnes is a kidney transplant recipient herself, some 25 years ago, and her son who goes by the name Tay also received a life-saving kidney from his father, Archie. The family’s selfless acts of giving continue to inspire.
“Me and my mother and a lot of people in my family are registered to be organ donors.,” Tay said. “I encourage people to do it because you never know what might happen and if it was your family member, you will want them to have an organ.”