LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Finding a kidney transplant match quickly doesn't happen often.
The wait can be between 3-5 years, but Shawn Gaither did not have to wait long due to his wife, Brooke's determination.
Everything changed for Shawn seven years ago at UofL Hospital.
"We had some surgery and basically the kidney function had started to decline," he explained. "University of Louisville wanted me to go on dialysis almost immediately."
But Shawn got a second opinion that disagreed with UofL. He was going to get as much life out of his kidneys as he could.
Updated sign after a kidney donor match was found for Shawn Gaither.
Life was going well up until last year, when he went in for leg surgery.
Doctors ended up amputating Shawn's left leg -- six years after he lost his right leg.
Shawn and his family would soon learn his latest surgery wasn't good for one of his kidneys, as he was then diagnosed with state four kidney failure.
"It's not something we wanted to go through," Brooke said.
They then went to work looking for a kidney donor.
"We made that decision in the hospital and that it was time," Brooke said. "The first place I went to was Google to see what other people were doing and then I thought, 'Why not hit these Facebook groups?'"
After hundreds of shares, Rhonda Thomas finally came into the picture.
"To my surprise, they said I was the perfect match," Rhonda said.
Shawn Gaither and Rhonda Thomas after the surgery.
It's been two weeks since the surgery and on Thursday night in Bardstown, Rhonda and Shawn met for the first time since the transplant.
"Having a bad wreck in 2019 and breaking both of my legs going through that, I thought I can survive this and do this for Shawn," Rhonda said.
Long before the transplant, the two had history together.
Both were dispatchers at the Lebanon Police Department. Rhonda describes Shawn as someone who is always smiling and giving.
"And I hope he gets many, many, many more years," she said. "It worked out well."
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