Marine Donates Kidney To National Guardsman On HWN HUMANITY

A local patriot underwent a life-saving surgery about 48 hours ago.

Time was rapidly running out for a National Guardsman to receive a kidney transplant before his military contract expired.

Dustin Brown was in Stage 5 kidney failure and about to lose his insurance when another service member stepped up to help.

We're all on the same team, Marine Corps Veteran Temple Jeffords said.

He's my brother just as much as any other person out there wearing the uniform.

Temple didn't hesitate when he saw Brown was in need.

One of the things the Marine Corps teaches you is you're all brothers and sisters," Temple said. That you're all part of the same family.

Dustin was about to deploy as a medic last fall when he found out his kidneys were failing.

He couldn't complete his mission to help people.

If you get hit, no matter where you are, doc's going to come for you, Temple said.

When he read on Facebook that the medic and young father was about to lose his insurance when his military contract expired, he knew he wanted to help.

I started pushing as hard as I could to get it through, and as fate would have it, I was a match, he said.

Dustin couldn't believe how fast he got tested and approved to donate.

It's a very courageous thing to do, personally, I think," he said. "He didn't know me from Adam. He just saw the need and was willing to step up.

The surgery is scheduled for first thing Friday morning, and they're both ready.

The excitement outweighs the worry in my mind, so I'm really excited to get it over with, Dustin said.

And on they both will go with lives both Dustin and Temple will be proud of.

I really look forward to Dustin seeing his son graduate college, and maybe marry a young woman someday, and have his own kids, Temple said.

That would be a really good thing.

The National Guard has rallied around Dustin now, too.

In March, they allowed him to sign a 6 month contract extension so he could get surgery, get healthy, and get back to work.

Source: WXIA, HWN AFRICA.