Kidney donor connection made after misplaced Craigslist ad

PHILADELPHIA (WTXF) A misplaced Craigslist ad has brought together a woman in need of a kidney transplant and a donor who had lost his wife to kidney failure.

After a year and a half of suffering through kidney failure, 32-year-old Nina Saria, of Atlantic County, is getting a transplant--from a stranger.

Glenn Calderbank, a contractor from South Jersey connected with the Saria's on Craigslist. He was looking for construction materials last summer when an ad posted by Saria's husband, Kay, popped up.

The ad was asking for a kidney to save his wife's life.

Calderbank says the kidney ad accidentally misplaced under construction materials had to be the work of his late wife, Jessica, who died of kidney failure in 2011.

"I know Kay feels helpless, like there's nothing he can do. I was him and we didn't get help so I was going to be the hero," Calderbank says. "I feel like [Jessica's] been my angel showing me the way and I know for sure she sent me that ad."

Calderbank called the Saria's with the news that he wanted to donate his kidney. They were shocked to find out that Calderbank was a kidney match and was willing to sign up for the surgery.

"I was really surprised that a person, a stranger, would do this for me because there was nobody in my life who would do this for me, to save me," Nina Saria says.

They are all now at the hospital of the University of Pennsylvania preparing for next week's transplant.

Calderbank and the Saria's are hoping this story sends a message to readers everywhere.

"It's possible to save lives if you open yourself up to it," Kay Saria, Nina's husband, says. "There are no words, actions to express the thoughts and feelings towards this man but I'm happy."

Calderbank is self-employed and will be out of work after next week's surgery, so the Saria's set up a GoFundMe account to help cover his expenses while he's recovering.

"There's no way I could repay Glenn no way I can thank him for what he's doing," Nina Saria says.

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