WINTER PARK, Fla. – A man battling kidney failure, who has spent years searching for donor, met the woman who he hopes will help save his life on Tuesday.
Roddy Naranjo once used car magnets, bumper stickers and T-shirts to help advertise his search for a kidney donor.
On Tuesday, he met Kristin Scaglione of Winter Park for the first time in-person at PF Chang's Restaurant.
"I don’t have the words to describe how excited I am," he said. "I’m numb."
Naranjo thought he had found a donor in August, but when doctors found a problem, he was sent back out on his search.
The sidelined donor spread the word about Naranjo's search to his friends, including Scaglione, who went through a battery of tests to find out she was a perfect match.
"I look at it, and I say, 'I don’t understand why everybody else isn’t doing it,'" she said. "I don’t understand why (people) would not be doing it. I think it’s just more education."
On Tuesday night, Scaglione, her husband and Naranjo talked about the big operation that is now planned for Dec. 12.
They said they're both hoping for the best.
"Total strangers from the get go, but I think after this, this is something that is invaluable," Naranjo said. "(This) is something that I cannot repay her for. She’s giving me a second lease on life."
You can follow Naranjo's journey on his Facebook page.
