Would you be willing to give a kidney to a total stranger?
That's the exact question "Shark Tank" star Barbara Corcoran asked via social media when she found out that her assistant and friend of over 20 years, Gail, was going through kidney failure — and could die.
The answer?
A resounding YES.
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While Barbara said that more than 100 people reached out to her, ready to get tested and see if they were a match for Gail (amazing!), one woman, Julie, a mom of four kids from New Hampshire, turned out to be a perfect match — and volunteered to go through with the surgery.
Julie flew to New York and, over the course of two days, went through the surgical process of removing and donating her kidney to Gail. But if you ask Julie, she was the one who really got the sweet end of the deal.
"When I received the phone call that I was a match for Gail, it was a time in my life that I was really struggling," says Julie. "I went through some very difficult times."
And now? "Absolutely, [I feel more complete]," says Julie. "It's such a blessing. And she thanks me every day, all day."
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"To give [Gail] life," she adds, "it's just an absolutely blessing. It gave me purpose, and it just brought a lot of happiness to my life."
"She's my angel from heaven!" says Gail, pointing to Julie — and Barbara. "The two of them. Angels from heaven."
We couldn't agree more! Watch the video above for the full story — and to learn more about what it actually takes to donate a kidney. (It's so much easier and safer than you think!)
