Selfless Cabbie Donates Kidney, Inspires Us All

Nothing puts a grin on my face more, than when a do-gooder sacrifices himself for another – and expects nothing in return. When I read about Phoenix cab driver Thomas Chappell and his selfless deed, it was all I could do to stop myself from shouting “we’re not worthy” and bowing at the picture of him I saw on my computer screen.

What makes Chappell so amazing? He’s more than willing to donate a kidney to Rita Van Loenen, a woman he’s been driving to and from her dialysis appointments for months.

"I've never known anybody so enthusiastic to get a body part removed," Van Loenen told the Associated Press, admitting she still can’t quite believe he’s going through with the generous deed.

The pair met more than three months ago when Chappell was randomly assigned to take Van Loenen for dialysis. In the months that followed they struck up a sort of friendship. Chappell learned that she was diagnosed with kidney failure last year after she began feeling ill and noticed water retention in her legs. In February, her cousin donated her a kidney, but the transplant failed. Van Loenen told Chappell that her son was going to be tested next, which is when Chappell decided to add his name to the possible donor list.

"I said 'Rita, your son's a whole lot younger than me. He's got a lot more years. I'm gonna go down and go through the process and see if it will work.' I don't think she really believed I was going to."

She didn’t believe him, but Chappell followed through. After talking to the doctors, who confirmed he was a match, and talking to God, who apparently greenlit the plan, he gave Van Loenen the good news.

"By then, me and the good Lord already had a talk. He said 'Tom, you go give her one. It will work," Chappell said.

The transplant has not been scheduled yet, but Chappell is going through all the pre-testing that needs to be done prior to the operation.

Chappell is convinced it will be a success, and I sure hope it will be, too.

Photo courtesy of Epioles via Flickr