GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — A young man in Grand Rapids is being deemed a hero after he helped save his sister’s life.
“I told my mom I don't think I can ever say no to my brother whenever he asks me for anything,” Marilyn Preisner said jokingly about her brother, Colin.
At 19, Marilyn was diagnosed with IGA nephropathy, which is an autoimmune kidney disease.
After her diagnosis, she says her symptoms progressively got worse and impacted her ability to do things like go to school at Grand Rapids Community College.
“I was physically sick almost every day. It was just a lot of it felt like I was wearing a metal suit, like it felt like gravity was 100 times heavier,” said Marilyn.
She says she often would have to miss class or excuse herself because of the pain she was in.
Even through that, she managed to get waitlisted for the dental hygiene program at the college.
While sitting on that waitlist for two and half years, she began to receive dialysis and looking for a person to donate a kidney.
Her family spent time searching for a donor, even handing out cards asking for help and testing her mother to see if she was a match.
“I realized, what's the harm, at least, seeing if I can?” said Colin.
After extensive testing, doctors announced Colin was a match. After finding out, he let his family know the exciting news in typical little brother fashion.
“I didn't know any other way to say it. For me, it just felt fine. I just text them like, ‘Hey, I got approved,'” said Colin, laughing a little.
But what makes this match so special is that these siblings believe their match was destined.
“There's no way this isn't God putting this in our path, like fate,” said Marilyn.
Marilyn and Colin are adopted. Doctors say it’s much more common to find a transplant match from a biological relative.
So, when they found out they were a match, they say this made them realize they were always meant to be in each other’s lives.
“It just like solidifies, like blood doesn't have to be family. Like, it just is like the ultimate act of like, 'wow, I can I feel the love that you have for me. I have so much love for you,'” said Marilyn.
The transplant surgery was done in June.
Three months later, Marilyn is doing much better and is even back in school with a different major and planning her wedding.
“I can't put it into words how amazing this is. I have so much that I'm looking forward to now that, I couldn't do this without the gift that my brother gave me,” Marilyn.
Both Marilyn and Colin say they hope to inspire others to donate because of how difficult it can be to find donors. You can learn more about donating on the National Kidney Registry here.