RHODE ISLAND — A Rhode Island couple is celebrating two major milestones: a life-saving kidney transplant and 20 years of marriage.
The clock started ticking for Giovanni Ricci after he was diagnosed with chronic kidney disease last year.
After months of searching for a donor, doctors found his perfect match: his wife, Lisa.
Lisa donated one of her kidneys to her husband, and the transplant took place just days before the couple’s 20th wedding anniversary.
The two also decided to mark the milestone by renewing their wedding vows.
Hospital staff helped make the bedside celebration special, preparing a meal and cake for the couple.
Giovanni and Lisa renewed their vows surrounded by their daughters.
The experience has brought the family even closer together.
“It definitely brought us closer,” Giovanni said. “Everything we do, we do for our kids. We wanted to make sure he was around for our kids to have their dad around, and just be a family and be back to the way things were,” Lisa added.
Doctors say the couple’s story highlights the importance of living organ donation.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.
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