ROCKINGHAM COUNTY, N.C. — A Rockingham County father gave his son the ultimate gift of a healthy, fulfilling life.
Their story starts about a year ago, Gabriel Patterson had just graduated from Appalachian State University and was heading into his dream job working for a lawmaker.
For some time, he hadn't been feeling the best, therefore his mom recommended a visit to urgent care.
"After they ran some tests, they told me that my kidneys were in complete failure and I needed to go to the ER immediately and then from there it's just been a roller coaster," recalled Patterson.
Gabriel spent the next few weeks in the hospital while doctors ran test after test trying to figure out why his kidneys were failing. The answer never came. He was stuck with this option: a lifetime of dialysis or a transplant.
"We don't (didn't) know what's next other that he's going to have to hook up to a dialysis 11 hours every single night at his age and during his career, it's devastating and to know that he's got to go through that. So, that was a nightmare learning all of that at one time," said Gabriel's Father, Bryan Patterson.
Gabriel's heart was full of gratitude when friends and family came to him saying they wanted to be tested to see if they were a match. The family came to find Gabriel's dad and aunt were both matches.
"I knew he had an option at that point. When it came down to me and my sister, we knew one of us would be that either me or her was definitely going to be the one to give him a kidney at that point," said Bryan Patterson.
So, on June 24th Bryan went into surgery. One of his kidneys was taken out and given to his son.
"When they put the new kidney in, it started immediately which is unheard of. So, I feel like every step of the way whether it be my employment, whether it be dialysis or the friends and family around me that Gods had my back," Gabriel reacted.
The Patterson men say they've always had a strong bond and now there's even more that connects them.
Gabriel encourages people to make sure they get their annual physical. He said he didn't get a yearly checkup during his college years. Oftentimes doctors can detect these problems sooner with more frequent visits.