Man Finds Soulmate and a Perfect Match for Kidney Transplant Through Tinder

• Reid Alexander was diagnosed with a genetic disease that can lead to renal failure.
• But he was hugely blessed last year when he found his soulmate, Rafael Diaz on Tinder.
• Rafael was also a perfect match for the kidney transplant he badly needed.

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A young man was hugely blessed twice over last year when he met his soulmate on Tinder. He was also a perfect match for the kidney transplant he needed.

Reid Alexander tells PEOPLE he’s still couldn’t believe how the events of the last year left him with a husband and a second chance at life.

“I never would’ve thought that I would move across the country and meet the love of my life, and then the love of my life would also be a perfect match, and I would get a kidney. Never would’ve expected that.”

“It was meant to be,” adds Reid’s husband, Rafael Dìaz.

Reid was diagnosed with Alport syndrome at age 17.

Doctors told him that his kidneys were only functioning at 20 percent and he would need to start dialysis while he awaited a transplant.

Reid grew up in Indiana but moved to Denver last year to start a new life. Not long after he met Rafael.

“We started chatting on Tinder in August 2020,” Rafael says.

“We really just hit it off,” recalls Reid. “And we were together every day ever since. It felt like we knew each other for a really long time. And it still feels like that to us.”

Reid told Rafael about his medical condition, noting that it would be hard to hide.

Rafael immediately gave emotional support, then offered to look into being Reid’s kidney donor. He was already registered as an organ donor at the time.

From then on, things came together quickly for the pair. In February, they got engaged and by April, they started testing to see if Rafael was a match.

They also decided to get married that month and decided to use the money they were saving for a destination wedding to fund Reid’s upcoming transplant.

“We were going to wait and do a big traditional wedding… but then the realization of a transplant happening this year was getting more and more likely,” says Reid. “So it was [either] saving up money for a wedding or saving up money for a transplant. And so we chose transplant.”

In June, testing confirmed Rafael was a perfect match. On Aug. 13, the couple underwent the procedure.

“I was in a lot of pain [initially],” Rafael said. “But if I had to do it again, I would. It’s not only because I love him so much, but it’s also because I will be able to share life [with him] and enjoy this feeling that made [him] happy,” Dìaz adds.

They hope their story will bring awareness to the importance of organ donation.

Source: People