Life-saving gift: Massachusetts man donates kidney to friend of 13 years

BRISTOL, R.I. (WLNE) — A Taunton man has given a whole new meaning to the definition of friendship, donating his kidney to his best friend’s husband.

“Matt has literally saved my life,” Jamie Reynolds said.

Matt Carreiro and Alicia Medeiros have been best friends ever since high school.

“I think I am appreciative of our friendship on a whole new level,” Alicia said.

Over the last 13 years, Matt became close with Alicia’s husband Jaime Reynolds.

“They’re both very important to me, I’ve known Alicia since high school. I was in their wedding a few years ago,” Matt said.

After over a decade of friendship, Matt gave Jamie a truly life-changing gift, his kidney.

“I think that something like this will just make you, I think, closer,” Matt said.

Jamie has struggled with kidney disease all his life, and had to begin dialysis in March.

“It’s been a long journey with my kidneys for me, I actually was born with kidneys that were malformed,” Jamie said. “Despite being prepared to some degree, it was still difficult news to process.”

When Jamie and Alicia began searching for a donor, Matt stepped in.

“Living on dialysis is not ideal, a lot of restrictions, a lot you things you can’t do, makes living a lot harder,” Matt said.

Matt decided to put his name on the list to see if he’d be a candidate to donate.

“And then there was a lot of testing and screening that went on before I was cleared to be a donor, and that process takes a while,” he said.

After several months, Matt got the news that he was a match.

“It kinda became a no-brainer to me that a few weeks of discomfort for me, in order for them to have a much more prosperous life,” Matt said.

When Jamie got the call from Rhode Island Hospital that Matt was a match, the feeling was indescribable.

“Time stopped for a second, when it really hit me, and I said, ‘Oh, wow, thank you so much,’ and we talked about next steps, and I hung up the phone, and I cried, I cried a lot,” Jamie said.

On July 28, after five months of dialysis, Jamie received Matt’s kidney.

“Overwhelming appreciation, for arguably, the most benevolent and generous man that I know,” Jamie said. “I think there’s no more meaningful sacrifice that you can make than by donating a kidney or any organ that can be donated to someone in need.”

A lifetime bond grown stronger through a selfless gift.