Daughter Gives Father The Gift Of Life
LYNN (CBS) - The gift of life is being given to former Lynn firefighter Bob Mullins on Wednesday. His daughter Courtney is giving him a kidney.
"It's something special for sure," says 58-year-old Bob Mullins.
He used to be the picture of health. A 27-year firefighter and college basketball ref, Bob was always active and fit, but three years ago an illness shut down his kidneys.
He barely made it to the emergency room.
"I was going through kidney failure as I walked in," Bob remembers.
Since then Bob has needed dialysis to live. He does it at home every day.
"Hopefully if everything goes well, tonight will be the last night I use the machine," Bob said.
That's because he's about to take a life changing step. There's a new kidney for him.
"Fortunately for me my youngest daughter here, Courtney, was the first one they tested and amazingly she was a match," said Bob.
Courtney is both anxious and nervous for the procedure, but she is looking forward to the positive end result.
"He gave me life and it's like I'm giving him life back," said 32-year-old Courtney.
"I can't tell you, there's no words that can explain how much I feel about what she's doing. It's a gift forever," says Bob.
If the transplant is successful Bob wants to get back on the basketball court, and have a long time left to enjoy his grandkids.
The fact that this is all taking place right after they celebrated Father's Day doesn't escape the pair.
"Everybody said, well, you get off the hook this year for Father's Day. So I said, absolutely, it works out. Yeah, it's a good gift and I'm glad I can do it," said Courtney.
The transplant is scheduled to take place Wednesday morning at the Boston Medical Center.
