Oak Lawn couple's unique kidney donation story celebrated

OAK LAWN, Ill. - A heartwarming celebration of love and life unfolded in Oak Lawn on Thursday as a local couple shared their extraordinary tale of kidney donation.

The journey began when Tracey Gonzalez discovered she wasn't a match to donate her kidney to her husband, Tony, who was in kidney failure and undergoing dialysis. However, their story took a positive turn through a special paired donation program that provided an opportunity to save his life.

Tony matched with a woman in Arizona, whose brother coincidentally needed a kidney and was a match for Tracey. A paired donation was arranged, resulting in the saving of two lives.

On Thursday, the two pairs met virtually for the first time to discuss their shared experience, coordinated by Advocate Christ Medical Center.

"I'd do it again. I definitely would do it all over again," said Tracey. "Twenty-three years with him, and I hope 23 more years."

Post-surgery, everyone is doing well, and during the meeting, both pairs remained in good spirits, expressing immense gratitude for the successful exchange. They aim to inspire others to consider participating in similar programs, hoping their stories will encourage more life-saving contributions.