Husband Donates Kidney To Wife After Year-Long Weight Loss Battle For Surgery, Incredible Deed Goes Viral Again

An Alabama man has dedicated the past year of his life to an incredible weight loss journey in order to save his wife’s life. Now, their story is going viral again. According to the Daily Mail, PJ Spraggins‘ wife, Tracy, has been fighting a life-long battle with Lupus.

The 39-year-old, who was diagnosed with Lupus at the age of six, was placed on the donor’s list back in 2013, but doctors informed the couple that Tracy could be facing an untimely death due to complications of Lupus if she didn’t receive a kidney transplant in a timely fashion.

Since the waiting list is reportedly seven years long, there was a strong possibility Tracy wouldn’t survive the duration of the waiting period. Then, to make matters worse, the unthinkable became surreal with the death of her sister.

At the age of 34, Tracy’s sister passed following complications from a kidney transplant. So, PJ decided to undergo the evaluation to see if he’d be a match for his wife’s kidney transplant. The couple learned PJ would actually be a perfect match, but the momentous discovery was short-lived because immediately after they received the good news, PJ was informed that he still couldn’t undergo the surgery due to his weight.

Doctors advised him to lose 30 pounds and return. When he achieved that weight loss goal, he went back in for another evaluation. That’s when he learned his blood pressure was erratic. At that point, high blood pressure was the only factor standing in the way of him saving his wife. He sought a second opinion at an Atlanta, Georgia, facility, where he was hit with another obstacle. Doctors there advised PJ to lose another 60 pounds.

“They said I was a perfect match but they wanted to check I was healthy and met their requirements. They sent me a blood pressure monitor, but they didn’t like the numbers. That was a real kick in the gut. My blood pressure was all over the place. The results came back and they said no again.”

Needless to say, the obstacles were quite challenging. But, instead of giving up, PJ decided to take matters into his own hands and combat the problem. He embarked on a rigorous weight loss regimen, dedicating himself to bettering his health. After losing 100 pounds, PJ and Tracy traveled to a Nashville, Tennessee, facility for another evaluation. This time around, doctors informed him that he was finally ready for the surgery. In February of 2015, both PJ and Tracy underwent surgery for the transplant. It has been reported that both surgeries were successful.

The couple’s friends launched a YouCaring campaign to cover their personal expenses while they both recovered. While the actual cost of the kidney transplant itself would be covered, they would need at least two months of financial assistance to cover regular household expenses, as neither of them will be able to work during their recovery. The couple has received $10,000 of the $15,000 amount the campaign requested.

Husband & Wife Kidney Transplant Fund https://t.co/CVscTiOgLJ

— vama89 (@89Vince89) February 6, 2016

During an interview with the Daily Mail, both PJ and Tracy have shared their sentiments of the heartwarming journey and how it’s only made their marriage stronger. “The way my kidney function is now, it’s at 100 percent. And it’s at the best it’s ever been,” Tracy said.

“It has just been amazing. To know that I did everything I could to give my wife a better quality of life is just the best feeling. I am so happy,” PJ said. “We both just feel amazing. I’m slowly getting back to work making music, Tracy is making sure she fully recovers. But the entire process has been amazing.”

[Image(s) via Facebook]