Robert Leibowitz from Brooklyn, NY, needed for a kidney transplant as his both kidneys were functioning at 5% of their full capacity. He came up with a plan and went to Disney World to apply it.
A T-Shirt with a message saved Robert’s life
Robert, a Newyorker with a background in advertising, came up with a plan. Namely, he created a T-Shirt with his phone number placed below the message “In Need of Kidney. O Positive”. He then went to Disney Land to ‘promote’ his message.
Once there, Robert has been impressed by how many tourists were taking photos with him and the message on the T-Shirt.
One couple posted one of the pics on their Facebook page and the post got 32,000 shares on the same day and 90,000 shares by the end of the week.
Many people called to help Robert but only four of them flew to New York to take the tests but none of the four matched as the doctors have to look at every tissue and every enzyme and have many details to cover in the case of transplants.
Robert admitted that he received hundreds of calls and messages from people trying to help but, besides the four ones, others flaked.
An offer came via a voicemail message
“Hi, my name is Richie Sully. I saw your post and I’m O positive. I have an extra kidney and you are more than welcome to it.”
This is how the voicemail sounded. Richie Sully was donating blood when he bumped into the Facebook post that had attached one pic of Robert’s shirt. He instantly decided to call Robert.
The two men talked and meet and eventually, Richie Sully was proven to be the perfect match for the transplant.
Robert and Richie made the story public and hope that many people will be impressed of it and the live organ donation awareness will increase.
