LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- A Louisville man wants to do more than beat his personal record in this weekend's Kentucky Derby Festival Marathon.

Running for Ryan Harris isn't just therapeutic. Every step is for his cousin Andy Wilkins.

"I hope he's proud," Harris said. "I think he is."

Two and a half years ago, Wilkins came down with COVID-19.

"He was very healthy, a young guy," Harris said.

At the age of 33, Wilkins spent four months in the hospital before being told he needed a double lung transplant.

Wilkins said he's never had any other health issues before this.

"I got COVID in the summer of 2021," Wilkins said. "That is ultimately what took me down."

Nine days after being placed on the transplant waitlist his family got the call.

"I remember getting the call; getting a transplant is a good feeling, but there's still a lot that can go wrong," Harris said. "When he came out on top, it was a really good thing."

"I feel like I'm the luckiest guy on the planet, honestly," Wilkins said. "We came as close as a person could be to not being here anymore."

Andy Wilkins and Ryan Harris KDF runner

Ryan Harris will be running in the Kentucky Derby Festival's Marathon in honor of his cousin, Andy Wilkins (pictured above), who's a lung transplant recipient. (Submitted photo)

Wilkins' story inspired Harris to do something for others who are in the same shoes.

"It's pretty incredible," Wilkins said. "Honestly, he is. Ryan is just such a talented guy and it's very incredible at what he's wanting to do."

Harris will be honoring the organization, Donate Life Kentucky, that helped save his cousin's life while running in this year's KDF Marathon.

"When he brought it to my attention, it kind of blew me away," Wilkins said.

Harris hopes to raise $3,000 for Donate Life Kentucky by the time he finishes his 26.2 miles.

"I've been able to think of the donor families or people that have received a donation are people still on the list because they're going through a lot harder than training for a marathon," Harris said. "What they're going through is a lot worse than running a marathon. And I just feel grateful that I get to choose to suffer in a marathon."

He also wants people to consider signing up to be a donor. This is his second marathon.

"Since I've started this, you start seeing the Donate Life license plates everywhere and start hearing the different stories. So I think the community is a lot bigger once you kind of submerse yourself in to the Donate Life communities. That's been cool to see," Harris said.

To donate, click here.

To register as a donor, click here.

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