NORTH CALDWELL, New Jersey (WABC) — After the longest-living heart transplant recipient found himself in desperate need of a new kidney, his daughter stepped up to give him the life-changing gift.
Like father like daughter, Jennifer followed in Leon Szewcyk footsteps by going into real estate.
Now she’s making sure those footsteps stretch farther down the road. In December, she learned medically she could give her father a kidney. They were a perfect blood and tissue match.
“You know, I can live the rest of my life with one kidney. If I decided not to and dad passed away, I would never forgive myself,” Jennifer said.
The fact that they were a match is huge because there’s a five-year waiting list to get a kidney – and 90,000 people are on it.
“It’s unbelievable. She’s willing to do it. I’m just worried though, I want to make sure she’s OK after this, I get a second chance of life,” Leon said.
What does family mean to him?
“Everything,” he said.
He has a lot to live for, four grandkids and three daughters, two of whom are twins.
Pictures showed them with signs reading “Hurry home daddy” in 1983 when he was getting a heart transplant at Columbia Presbyterian at age 31.
Leon has since broken records for living for 42 years after a heart transplant.
He also had a kidney transplant because the heart medications ended up hurting his kidneys.
Leon says what’s kept him alive is luck, loving life, taking nothing for granted, and rock music.
“Heavy metal stuff like that,” Leon said. “Everything I do, I enjoy, I enjoy life.”
Leon spends time with his grandkids, cleans the pool, fixes fishing equipment (and anything else) and is an avid fisherman.
“He’s either downstairs fixing a fishing pole or a bureau,” Jennifer said.
His days of doing all of this are expected to stretch on. The 4 and a half hour laparoscopic kidney transplant happens this spring.
“I got to see my grandkids born, and my kids married maybe I get to see the grandkids married you know?” Leon said.
We do know, and for anyone on the fence about organ donation?
“They have to do it,” he said. “I thank God every day I am still here.”
