After years of dialysis, a body shop friend became Sherri Gonzales' kidney donor

Sherri Gonzales was living with kidney failure and spending several hours at a time on dialysis, three days a week, when her husband, Joe, reached out to a man they both knew. Ralph Ross and Joe had known each other for years through their work at a body shop. Joe sent Ross Sherri's information and asked whether he would consider donating. Ross applied to be a living donor that same day.

Ross went through testing at Baylor Scott & White, and the results showed he was a match. Gonzales said she had been scared, not knowing what to expect. When the family heard the news, they had to pull over the car because they were so emotional. Ross said he cried tears of joy too.

Both surgeries were successful, and Gonzales no longer depends on dialysis. Dr. Eric Martinez, an abdominal transplant surgeon at Baylor Scott & White, says a living donor needs two things: the right reasons for donating and good enough health to go through with it. Gonzales calls Ross her guardian angel and has named her new kidney "Little Ralphie." Each morning she sends him a prayer of thanks.

Ross now encourages people on transplant waiting lists not to be afraid to ask for a living donor, and he hopes others will look into becoming donors themselves. Gonzales has her own next goal: a trip to the beach, which she says is on the calendar. Original reporting by WFAA, with Erin Heft and Josh Stephen credited on the story.