Lifestyle

Texas Veteran Donates Liver to Former Boss in Heartwarming Story

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Tony Maples Photography

 

When Brian Burkett joined the liver transplant list and set out an appeal through his network for a donor, he had almost lost hope until a former employee came forward.

Because Burkett’s cirrhosis was linked to his genetics and had come full circle in 2014, he needed to undergo a liver transplant. He knew there would be a long wait ahead for a donor, but he began to do some research on a living donor program, that, as reported by TODAY, is “an option not often discussed, as few are willing to undergo an invasive surgery by choice.”

However, he reached out through both his church and former work networks to see if someone would be willing to donate their liver to him. Mike Snyder, an Army veteran and Burkett’s former employee when both men worked for AT&T, immediately responded and told TODAY, “I said yes before I even told my wife.”

However, Snyder had to lose about 25 pounds from his liver in order to undergo the surgery, but otherwise, he was the perfect candidate. He followed a strict diet to get himself down to size for Burkett, and did so with ease.

Mike Snyder donated 70 percent of his liver to Brian Burkett, his former boss, in September 2015. As of today, both men have made a full recovery and now consider each other family through and through.