A Teen Needed a Kidney. A Stranger Watching the News Stepped In

A Long Island father becomes a living donor, bringing two families together through a lifesaving kidney transplant at the NYU Langone Transplant Institute and Hassenfeld Children's Hospital 

NEW YORK, April 10, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Tim Fitzpatrick was at home on Long Island when he saw a local news story about a 13-year-old boy in need of a kidney transplant. 

He didn't know the family, but the story stayed with him. Within days, the 44-year-old father of two signed up to be tested as a living kidney donor through the NYU Langone Transplant Institute. Soon after, he learned he was a match. 

Living organ donation isn't common, but it happens more often than many people realize, whether for a family member, a friend, or even a stranger. 

For Fitzpatrick, the decision felt both immediate and personal. 

His 11-year-old son, Logan, receives care at Hassenfeld Children's Hospital at NYU Langone for eosinophilic esophagitis, a chronic immune system disease affecting the esophagus with no known cure. He understands what it means as a parent to sit in a hospital room and wait for answers.
"I couldn't stop thinking about him," said Fitzpatrick. "You see a kid like that, and you think about your own. If my son were in that position, I'd be hoping someone would step up. I've always donated blood, and this just felt like the next step. I just kept coming back to the same thought—why not me?"

Multimedia Materials Available 

Additional Photos and B-roll from the surgeries, the families' first meeting, and additional moments are available upon request by contacting [email protected]. 

A Teen in Need of a Kidney

The boy Fitzpatrick saw on the news was Elias Manolis.

Born with ureterovesical junction (UVJ) obstruction, a rare congenital condition affecting how urine drains from the kidneys, Elias has spent much of his life undergoing procedures and managing complications as his kidney function declined.

By the time he needed a transplant, dialysis was the likely next step—an intensive treatment that would have significantly impacted his daily life. 

When no one in his immediate family was a match, his parents, Margaret and Nikos Manolis, shared his story across social media and local news stations, hoping it would reach someone willing to help.

It did.

More than 100,000 people in the United States are currently waiting for an organ transplant, including about 95,000 in need of a kidney, making living donors a critical part of that effort.

A Coordinated Transplant Effort

On March 23, 2026, surgical teams at the NYU Langone Transplant Institute and Hassenfeld Children's Hospital performed the living-donor kidney transplant in a coordinated, dualteam approach. 

Bruce E. Gelb, MD, a transplant surgeon at the Transplant Institute and vice chair of quality in the Department of Surgery, led the donor surgery using a minimally invasive technique to remove Fitzpatrick's left kidney.

"Tim's willingness to step forward for someone he didn't know is extraordinary," said Dr. Gelb. "We're there to support donors like him every step of the way, while understanding and recognizing the impact that choice has on another person's life."

Jonathan C. Berger, MD, surgical director of the Pediatric
Kidney Transplant Program at Hassenfeld Children's Hospital, performed the transplant for Elias.

"Because of Tim's decision, Elias was able to receive a transplant before needing dialysis," said Dr. Berger. "That changes everything for a child. It means a smoother recovery, better long-term health, and a chance to move forward without that added burden."

Following surgery, both Elias and Fitzpatrick recovered well. Elias's care continues under Laura Malaga-Dieguez, MD, PhD, pediatric nephrologist and medical director of the Pediatric Kidney Transplant Program at Hassenfeld Children's Hospital, alongside a multidisciplinary team that includes nurses, social workers, certified child life specialists, and others who support patients and families throughout recovery. 

"For Elias, this transplant is a turning point," said Dr. MalagaDieguez. "Because of Tim's gift, he now has the opportunity to grow, feel better, and experience life more like other kids his age—riding his bike, playing sports, going to school."

Meeting for the First Time

The day after surgery, before heading home, Fitzpatrick visited Elias and his parents in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit at Hassenfeld Children's Hospital. 

It was the first time the two families met in person, and the first time the Manolis family learned who Elias's donor was. 

Fitzpatrick and his wife, Stephanie, brought homemade cookies shaped like kidneys, decorated with the date of the transplant—a small but meaningful gesture to commemorate the moment. Fitzpatrick's son, Logan, had also created a drawing of his dad's kidneys, which they split in half, with Elias keeping the right and Fitzpatrick the left.

Fitzpatrick wore a "One Kidney Club" T-shirt, while Elias, now with three kidneys, held kidney-shaped stuffed animals. The two exchanged words, and Elias gave Fitzpatrick a letter he had written. 

"It was overwhelming in the best way," said Margaret Manolis. "It meant everything to us. We are just so elated to finally meet him. He was a stranger who stepped in to help our son—and now he and his family will always be part of our lives."

The meeting marked the beginning of a relationship between two families brought together through a decision to help.

"We are beyond grateful—to the doctors, the surgeons, the nurses, the support system, and most of all, to Tim who made this miracle possible," added Manolis. "Because of you, Elias has a brighter future ahead."

Looking Ahead

Elias was discharged from Hassenfeld Children's Hospital on Saturday, March 28, returning home in time to celebrate Easter with his parents and little brother. He has proudly named his new kidney Mr. Penguin.

Both families have remained in close contact since their first meeting and are already planning a summer barbecue together. Elias is especially glad he can now enjoy steak, something he had been hoping to eat since his transplant. 

"I feel a lot better," said Elias. "I'm excited to get back to doing normal things, and to finally have a steak."

At NYU Langone, the collaboration between the Transplant Institute and Hassenfeld Children's Hospital makes stories like this possible, bringing together surgical expertise, pediatric care, and living donors willing to step forward. 

For Elias and Fitzpatrick, what began as a segment on the news has become something far more lasting: a shared story of compassion, connection, and a second chance at life. 

Elias and Fitzpatrick will be featured in the upcoming Kidneys for Kids documentary The Darker the Night, set to premiere in 2027, which follows children and families navigating kidney disease and the lifechanging impact of living donation.

The Kidney for Kids organization also provided Elias and his family with a $1,000 grant through its Family Assistance Fund to help support immediate needs during his recovery.

Learn more about the Pediatric Kidney Transplant Program and how to become a living donor. 

Media Inquiries
Katie Ullman
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SOURCE Hassenfeld Children’s Hospital at NYU Langone