A La Salle University student who received a kidney from his father as a toddler is in need of a new kidney 17 years later.
Kevin Brighter Jr. was two-years-old when he received his first kidney transplant in 2000. Now at the age of 19, he’s in need of another one.
Brighter Jr. went into kidney failure in December of last year. Since then he’s had to juggle being a full-time college student with attending three dialysis appointments a week.
“Every day mom or dad is always saying, ‘Don’t worry. You’ll get through this,’” Brighter Jr. said.
NBC10 was there in 2000 when Brighter Jr. received his first kidney transplant from his father, Kevin Brighter Sr., a Philadelphia police officer.
“Any parent that wouldn’t do anything like this for their son or any child is crazy in my mind,” Brighter Sr. told NBC10 17 years ago. “It’s all about how much I love him.”
Doctors predicted the kidney would last five to ten years. It ended up lasting 17 years however.
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“We’ve done this with him since he was little,” Brighter’s mother, Maura Brighter, told NBC10. “You can feel sorry for yourself for a moment. You’ve got to pick up and keep moving on.”
Maura Brighter initially believed she was a match for her son and planned to give him her kidney. On Tuesday however, she learned she was not a match and the family will have to find another donor. The family is now asking for help from the public.
Brighter is B-positive. CLICK HERE if you are over the age of 21 and interested in being a donor.
