A Maricopa woman came face-to-face this week with the man who gave her a second chance at life.

Candy Gray, 46, who lives near Bowlin Road and Hidden Valley Road, met her kidney donor for the first time Wednesday in the healing garden at Banner – University Medical Center Phoenix, nearly a year after a complex three-way paired kidney transplant.

“It was magical seeing these people get to meet each other for the first time,” said Ken Bodziak, MD, medical director for the hospital’s kidney transplant program.

Gray received her kidney last April through a paired exchange after her cousin, John Yates, 45, volunteered to donate but was not a compatible match.

“I was in awe,” Yates said at the gathering. “I got to look into this guy’s eyes and his mother … it was the most wonderful feeling to be able to feel that love and healing.”

Yates was one of three donors involved in the exchange. Joceline Cortez Barraza, 24, had hoped to donate to her brother, Jorge Cortes Barraza, 28. Kenneth Giersz, 62, intended to donate to his daughter, Catrina Giersz, 34.

While Giersz had Type O blood and could have donated directly to his daughter, the other pairs were incompatible. By matching donors with unrelated recipients whose blood types aligned, surgeons were able to complete a three-way swap:

• Yates donated to Jorge Cortes Barraza.
• Kenneth Giersz donated to Gray.
• Joceline Cortez Barraza donated to Catrina Giersz.

All six surgeries were performed last April by Alfredo Fabrega, MD, and Willem Van der Werf, MD. Nearly a year later, all donors and recipients have recovered and returned to healthy lives, hospital officials said.

Around 100,000 people remain on the national kidney transplant waiting list, where wait times often stretch from three to five years.

“Miracles do happen,” Jorge Cortes Barraza said after spending three years on dialysis. “I’m so thankful for what he did, because it takes a lot of courage.”

During Wednesday’s ceremony, donors and recipients opened envelopes revealing their blood types before stepping forward to meet their match. The reunion comes just ahead of National Donor Day, which coincides with Valentine’s Day tomorrow.

“If you know someone with kidney failure, please consider becoming a donor. Even if you can’t help them, you could still help someone else in need,” Bodziak said.

More information about becoming a living kidney donor is available at BannerHealth.com.