Guy donates part of his liver to a former college roommate he hadn’t seen in 21 years

• After 21 years of not seeing his friend, a guy decided to donate his liver to him.
• The two men were roommates in their college dorm.
• The donor said he knew it was the right thing to do, and that he also wanted to set an example for his kids.

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Steven Robinson was visiting Detroit, Michigan, and realized that Richard Koonce, his roommate in college whom he hadn’t seen in 21 years, lived nearby. He called him up and asked if he could go to his house for a visit.

Richard and Steven were not only roommates at Virginia’s Norfolk State University, but it was also Richard who introduced Steven to his wife. Richard eagerly agreed to the visit, so Steven and his whole family drove to his home in Ohio.

As soon as Steven saw his friend, he immediately noticed that Richard looked ill. After the two friends talked in private, Steven learned that Richard has been battling a rare liver disease called Primary sclerosing cholangitis, or PSC, since 2019. The chronic disease causes scarring of liver tissues and deterioration of the bile ducts. Nothing worked to cure Richard’s condition, and a liver transplant is the only thing that could save his life.

Steven immediately decided to donate a portion of his liver to his friend, and even his whole family agreed with his decision. 

“It’s a special man who would volunteer to do something like this,” said Richard. “Steve is special.”

Doctors determined that Steve, who shares the same blood type as Richard, is an even better match for his friend’s physiology than Richard’s own family. 

According to Steven, whose faith makes him certain that he’s doing the right decision, he wants to set an example for his children.

“I also looked at it as something my children could look at it — not necessarily giving an organ — but being considerate of other people in life,” he said. “There was a lot of prayer; I’m still praying on it. But I believe it’s the right thing to do,” he added. 

On Valentine’s Day, Steven and Richard had their transplant surgery. Morgan, Richard’s daughter, took to Facebook to say that both men are recovering well after the successful operation.

Some friendships are indeed timeless. The story of Steven and Richard reminds us how we should treat each relationship as something precious because you’ll never know how a friend can help you down the road. 

Source: Inspire More