Teacher Donates His Own Kidney to Student, Family Praises God

Teachers are known for giving their time, gifts, and abilities to educate their students. One sixth-grade teacher in Georgia has given more than that – he's also given his kidney.

When William Wilkinson from Grace Christian Academy found out his student Kaden Koebcke needed a kidney transplant, he stepped up the plate.

Koebcke was diagnosed with kidney disease when he was just two years old. His father donated his own kidney when he was five, but the organ only lasted a few days.

"It came back so badly that they had to remove it within five days of them putting it in, so that – that definitely didn't go as planned," Koebcke told Fox 5.

After spending years on dialysis, Koebcke went on the hunt for another kidney. Williamson got tested and to everyone's surprise, he was a match.

"I've had to be on dialysis for about 10 years now, and it'd really be awesome to live a normal life and not have to live life hooked up to a machine," he told the station.

Doctors successfully removed Wilkinson's kidney on Tuesday and transplanted it into Koebcke.

His family reported on the "Kaden's Kidney Search" Facebook page that both patients are doing well and Koebcke's kidney is already functioning.

"Thanks to your prayers and our faithful God, his urine output is great! Prayer works!!!" the post said. "Will had a good night as well. He has some discomfort at times but handling it well. "

The family says there's always a chance Koebcke's new kidney stops working, but they will keep their hope in the Lord.