An ordinary Target run yielded an extraordinary outcome.
An ordinary Target run yielded an extraordinary outcome.
Lillit Marcus, a producer with CNN, was just grabbing a few things from a Target in Brooklyn, New York last week, when she noticed a sign on a man’s backpack.
“In need of a kidney for my wife B+ 917-442-6202.”
Marcus says she snapped the picture and shared it on Twitter because the man’s face wasn’t visible. As it turns out, his name is Raymond Thompson and is Marcus’ neighbor.
Thompson lives in Brooklyn with his wife, Mylen and their 4-year-old daughter Rachel.
Mylen was diagnosed with kidney disease two years ago.
“She goes to a [dialysis] center for three hours, three days a week. There's a machine that filters your blood. It takes a lot out of you," Raymond told CNN.
Family members of both Raymond and Mylen got tested, but none were a match. Raymond got the idea after seeing the story of Rob Leibowitz, who found a kidney donor after he was spotted at Disney World wearing a t-shirt asking for the organ.
Raymond says people walk up to him and offer money but he refuses-- noting the family is not setting up a GoFundMe, since they are covered by insurance. They say the only want-- and will accept-- a kidney.
Since the picture was shared on social media, celebrities like Zack Braff to Evan Rachel Wood have also spread the word. Raymond says he has been inundated with calls from people in places like Pakistan and Australia.
InsideEdition.com called the number. It rang several times before going to a voicemail box, which was full.
Raymond says he will start reaching out to potential matches next month.
No matter what the outcome, he hopes this will inspire people to be organ donors.
"Sign up to be organ donors. There are so many people that actually need organs, especially kidneys. You have two and can live a healthy life with just one. Just sign up."
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