Man walks months to find wife of 56 years a kidney

Larry Swilling would have walked ten years to get a kidney transplant if he had to.

But it only took a year and now Jimmie Sue Swilling is about to have the surgery that can save her life. Jimmie Sue was born with one kidney and that wasn’t a big problem until December of 2012.

That when doctors told the family her kidney was failing and the 76 year old needed a transplant. No one in the family matched her type and Jimmie Sue went on a long waiting list.

That wasn’t good enough for Larry so he made himself a sandwich board that said “Need Kidney 4 Wife” with a cell phone number on it.

Then he took to South Carolina’s roads, spending nearly a year walking while he wore out a cell phone calling anyone he thought could help.

It looks like it worked.

The University of South Carolina says they have a donor and the family believes it’s because someone saw him walking or heard the story.

Either is fine with Jimmie Lee who told Fox Carolina she never doubted her husband of 56 years. "I knew it was going to happen because I know him," she said. "He wouldn't have stopped until he got me one.

Testing begins next week and if all goes well the surgery should happen by September 12.

Keep a watch here, we’ll report on how things are going.

http://youtu.be/X9bUMryGmt8