Magic Valley men complete chain of kidney transplant
Photo: Richard Tundag, left, and John Chesley share a laugh on Dec. 16 at a Burley restaurant while talking about a transplant chain they participated in. Even though Tundag and Chesley were not a match, the two joined the chain so Tundag could receive a kidney. Chelsey donated his kidney to another person in the chain in California. (ASHLEY SMITH/Times-News)
BURLEY — Giving up your life for someone else has been hailed as the ultimate sacrifice for centuries.
But giving up a part of your body to save a life is something Richard Tundag likens to the utmost act of love.
After a series of health problems, a stroke and kidney failure, the 63-year-old Rupert man went from being strong and active to struggling to walk. He had been waiting for a kidney transplant for a year and a half — living day to day with the effects of dialysis.
Today, Tundag has a new kidney after a transplant on Aug. 24. He said it has changed his life.
The transplant also changed the life of Tundag’s donor, John Chesley. The two men were the final pair to complete a chain of 21 donors and 21 recipients in 11 hospitals, located in seven states.
Chesley, 35, was a self-described “knucklehead” who grew up in Burley as a bit of a troublemaker. He befriended Tundag’s son 20 years ago and developed a strong relationship with Tundag, who acted as a mentor and father figure for Chesley.
“Richard has been a great, positive role model for me. He used to be this big strong guy. You would look at him like he was Superman,” Chesley said. “Then I saw him and it was like, you need to let go of that kryptonite, man.”
Chesley and his family practiced a hit-and-miss church attendance policy, but on a crowded Sunday morning at Mountain View Christian Center, Chesley experienced a tug at his heart.
“I just felt something that I’d never felt in my life,” he said. “I’ve never seen or felt something so clearly before — I leaned over to my wife and said, ‘I’m going to give him my kidney.’”
She said “OK,” and Chesley said his family — two daughters and a son — has been his biggest supporter as he determined if his kidney was a match. Humans only need one kidney to function. Chesley considers the extra kidney like a spare tire — nice to have, but nicer to give away if need be.
After a series of tests and interviews, the results came back negative — a blow to both men. But approached with a different option, they got a second chance that would link their lives with complete strangers across the country.
There are currently 87,493 people in the U.S. waiting for a kidney and 2,246 waiting for a kidney and pancreas. Most people wait for at least four years, and many pass away before an organ becomes available to them.
The National Kidney Registry provided a shortcut opportunity for people waiting for kidney transplants — but only if they had someone willing to give an organ to a stranger. The chain started in New York in January and ended in August in San Diego. Chesley’s kidney was flown to a man in the Los Angeles area, and Tundag received a kidney from a woman in San Francisco.
The two men’s journey to get to the Salt Lake Regional Medical Center, where both surgeries took place on Aug. 24, was paved with kindness from the Burley community, Chesley said. He was new to his job as a proofer at Packaging Specialties and hadn’t acquired the vacation or compensation time needed for his surgery and recovery.
“I walked into my GM’s office and told him that I had gotten involved in something before I started, and he told me to do what I needed to do,” Chesley said.
Co-workers volunteered their sick time for Chesley and Mountain View Christian Center raised $6,000 for him to cover expenses like rent and food. He wasn’t able to work for eight weeks and is still careful at his job now when he is required to carry heavy rolls or boxes.
The relationship between the two men has deepened over the course of the year. Tundag said the transplant has given him a potential 10 or more healthy years to live.
“The Bible talks about the ultimate sacrifice, which is to lay down your life for another,” Tundag said. “He laid down his organ to give me life. How do you ever repay that? How do you thank him for that? I tell him he’s my hero.”
“But I tell him, he’s been mine,” Chesley said. “Just enjoy life and stay around, man.”
Now that the experience is over, the men stay in close contact and have plans to meet up with their donor and receiver from California.
“We wait until it’s somebody who affects us. I wonder why it took that long to have a change of heart.” Chesley said. “I think we all need to take more risks, think outside the box and be more compassionate and caring.”
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