Kidney Transplant Survivor Dies During Burglary At His Home
SILVER SPRING, Md. (WJZ) -- He was given a second chance at life but this weekend, violence claimed the life of Jonathan Harris, a two-time kidney transplant survivor.
Meghan McCorkell has more on the heartbreaking story.
Harris was killed during a burglary at his home---a devastating end after he'd already survived so much.
A call to 911 for a burglary sent police cars racing to the quiet Silver Spring neighborhood Saturday morning. Investigators say Patricia Harris found her 26-year-old son murdered.
"I still can't believe it. He was a really cool guy," said his friend Roberto Dimajo.
From the beginning, Harris fought for life. He was born with one kidney and his second one started to fail when he was 12. In 2010, he and his mother---along with 30 others---took part in the largest mass kidney transplant in history at Georgetown Transplant Institute. Their story was featured on the Today Show.
"I was put on this earth for bigger things," Jonathan Harris said on the show. "Better things."
"I will move heaven and earth for my son but more than that, I can improve the quality of life for someone else," said Patricia Harris.
Transplant experts say a loss like this is particularly heartbreaking for the entire community.
Charlie Alexander is president and CEO of the Living Legacy Foundation.
"When somebody waits so long for the precious gift of an organ transplant and to see them have their life end in these kinds of circumstances...absolutely tragic," he said.
Now, as police try and figure out who took the life of a young man who had so much to live for, neighbors are mourning the loss.
"I think everyone's in a state of shock that this happened to our neighbor," said John Montgomery.
So far, no arrests have been made in Harris' murder.
There are currently 2,000 people in Maryland alone waiting for a kidney transplant.
Other Local News:
