Ozzie Herrera spent five years waiting for a kidney transplant that would free him from dialysis. The transplant took place on Thanksgiving, which now holds special meaning for Ozzie and his family.

Ozzie's Story

When he was in his early twenties, Ozzie Herrara, now 49, experienced kidney stones regularly. By the time he was in his thirties, he was diagnosed with diabetes. The combination of these two conditions caused Ozzie’s kidneys to fail.

At 40, he was told that he would need to be on dialysis. Ozzie endured the treatments four hours a day, three times a week at St. Joseph's Medical Center in Orange, CA. At the time he was put on the national transplant list in1998, he was told there would be two- to three-year wait. That wait turned into five years.

On November 26, 2003, a kidney became available for Ozzie. “This was the day before Thanksgiving, and the traffic was packed,” he said. “I thought I would not make it to the hospital in the one-hour time limit that they had given me. I was caught in traffic and ready to call the doctor's office to let them give the kidney to someone else.”

Miraculously, the freeway cleared, and Ozzie was able to make it to St. Joseph's in time. After checking in, it was decided to actually do the kidney transplant the next morning on Thanksgiving Day, November 27, 2003, a holiday that now holds new meaning for Ozzie.

“I am most thankful to the family who, during their grief of losing of a loved one, donated his kidneys so others could live,” said Ozzie. “I never knew how good I could feel. I thought I was doing well, but once that kidney was working in my body, I could feel a big difference inside.

“My family and I have benefited from people who were willing to help and donate. My wish is that no one would have to wait so long to get a life-saving transplant -- be it an organ or bone marrow.”