Transplant saves Mooresville man, now Kidney Foundation volunteer

The Charlotte Observer | Suzanne Ruff


Rich Davis, 57, and his wife, Nan, of the Shavenders Bluff area of Mooresville are celebrating life.

Almost five years ago, Rich Davis’s best friend, Joe Eckhout, traveled with his wife from their home in Michigan to Carolinas Medical Center to give Rich one of his kidneys. The two men have been best friends since third grade in Michigan.

Rich Davis’s family story provides a glimpse into how far medical science has advanced in the miracle of transplantation.

His mother died before he needed a kidney. She had kept a diary of family history. In it, she had written, “Rich has a best friend whose name is Joe, and they have a very special friendship.”

Shaking his head, Davis said, “She was very intuitive and talked about mother’s intuition our whole life. Mothers – they’re with us even when they’re not with us.”

Read more here: http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2012/05/14/3229071/transplant-saves-mooresville-man.html#storylink=cpy

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