Giving the gift of life to a best friend since the 3rd grade

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Giving the gift of life to a best friend since the 3rd grade

posted by: Jeffrey Wolf written by: Anastasiya Bolton     
Date last updated: 7/29/2009 12:22:04 AM

DENVER - Some people come into our lives for a reason that might not be immediately obvious. But eventually, over 35 years perhaps, it might become clear.

Sean Cowans and Ronald Doss met 35 years ago at Harrington Elementary School in Denver. They've known each other since the third grade.

"We were asked by our teacher to pick out somebody to learn about them, ask them a few questions," Doss said, "and from then on, best friends ever since."

Their friendship has been tested over time. There was that one incident in third grade the two remember very differently.

"My version is, I was trying to reach for this football and he jumped and his knee fell right in my wrist," recalled Cowans.

"This is what really happened," Doss said. "There was a fumble and I was already in the air, as I was coming down his arm came out of nowhere and I couldn't adjust myself in mid air and that's how it got broken."

The friendship was tested again recently, when Cowans was diagnosed with kidney disease.

"First thing they noticed [in the emergency room] was my blood pressure which caused my kidney failure," he said. "It was 265 over 167."

Normal blood pressure is around 120 over 80.

Cowans says he got on a waiting list for a new organ and had been on dialysis for the last two and half years.

He told family and friends about the illness, including Doss.

"I didn't think nothing of it," he said. "I told him about it, I told lots of people about it. But I didn't really think he was going to step up to the plate like he did."

A year into his dialysis, Doss started asking about Cowans' blood type. But says his 43 year old friend dismissed any hint at organ donation, saying he was on the list.

Some kidney transplant patients can wait for an organ for three to five years.

Finally Doss, who's a blood donor, said he got his blood donor card in the mail with his blood type on it. Eventually, he learned he was a match for Cowans.

"He kept saying, 'No, are you really sure? Better ask your wife, better ask your mom,'" Doss said. "I said, 'You know what? We're gonna go ahead and do this.'"

So Wednesday morning, Doss will be giving his kidney to his a man who's been his friend since third grade.

"I do believe in fate, believe it's my destiny," Doss said.

"He gave me life," said Cowans, "he gave me a second chance to live."

http://www.9news.com/news/article.aspx?storyid=120351&catid=188