Billy Houze, a 64-year-old pastor, needed a kidney. Thankfully, his adopted daughter was a match.
A dad's perfect donor match came from an unlikely source: his adopted daughter.
DeLauren McKnight of North Carolina said she never expected to be a match for her dad, Billy Houze, 64, who needed a kidney transplant as soon as possible.
“I was just amazed,” McKnight told InsideEdition.com. “My dad was the first person I called. He started crying and it filled my heart. “
Houze's kidneys started failing after he underwent gall bladder surgery in 2016. He was put on the donor list, but doctors said it would likely take seven to eight years for him to receive a transplant. He didn't have that kind of time.
In the meantime, he began going to dialysis three times a week.
Houze’s biological children were tested but they weren’t matches. However, it turns out McKnight was. Houze and his wife adopted McKnight in 1992 when she was just 8 months old.
“My dad has always provided for me,” McKnight said. “There is nothing I wouldn’t do for my dad to see him live the life he is destined for. This is nothing for me. Never thought I would be a match. I am so grateful that I am able to save his life.”
The pair is currently going through the process of follow-up tests but will hopefully be scheduled for surgery within the next few weeks.
“My dad saved me 27 years ago when I was 8 months old. He saved my life so I could later save his.”
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