CHARLOTTE — Two friends are now bonded for life after giving the ultimate gift — the gift of life.
Initially strangers, Michael Scanlon and Keith Marwitz became friends through their daughters’ competitive dancing. The dads met four years ago, volunteering to help cover their kids’ dance expenses.
“It was my first night ever volunteering, and I got paired with Michael, and it was a slow night,” Marwitz told Channel 9’s Elsa Gillis. “We talked all night and got to know each other, and really became friends after that.”
Marwitz was diagnosed with a rare kidney disease when he was 12 years old and got his first transplant at 19. That kidney began failing, and for the last two years, he was on dialysis for 11 hours a day.
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“I’ve been on a list for two years at two different hospitals, and nothing’s come up,” he said. “You know, I’ve just been waiting and waiting, and it would have been four to six years, probably for me to get a kidney.”
Thankfully, Scanlon decided if he was a match, he would donate one of his kidneys.
“It was just laid on my heart to do it,” he said.
Just before Thanksgiving, Scanlon donated his kidney to Marwitz. He says he would do it again without hesitation.
“It just blew me away that he would be willing to do something so, so generous and selfless,” Marwitz said. “It was amazing.”
In the season of giving, there’s no truer gift.
“I think God puts people in your life for reasons, and I think this was one of my reasons to be here,” Scanlon said.
“We talk about coincidences, you know, random pairing of us at that one event,” Marwitz said. “I don’t think it was a coincidence. It’s an answered prayer.”
Both men are recovering well. Marwitz’s new kidney and condition will continue to be closely monitored. Scanlon encourages anyone considering organ donation to give the gift of life, if they can.
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