‘It’s a miracle:’ Norfolk woman receives a new kidney just before Christmas.
Taylor Vertrees/Sentara
Katisha Vertrees, the morning of her transplant surgery
Not long after Katisha and Taylor Vertrees tied the knot, their search for another perfect match began. This one was urgent.
“They say kidney disease, it can kill you,” Katisha tells News 3 anchor Blaine Stewart. “I thought at any moment this could be the end of it.”
Katisha was 28 years old when we first introduced you to her. By then, her kidneys had already stopped working—a complication of her lupus diagnosis. That’s where the body’s immune system mistakenly attacks healthy tissue. She needed eight hours of dialysis every night. That takes a toll. In 2022, the couple was expecting their first child.
The pregnancy sent Katisha into end-stage kidney failure, making a manageable diagnosis dire. Sadly, she suffered a miscarriage at just 15 weeks.
“I try to live every day like, really happy and pushing through, but it’s really hard,” she confesses.
The only way Katisha could ever lead a normal life is with a kidney transplant. She became one of nearly 100,000 on a years-long waiting list. So her husband, Taylor, turned to social media for help.
It sadly did not work out. Not that time, anyway. But just a couple of months ago, doctors found another donor who might fit the bill. Would this finally be the answer to years of prayers?
“I think it’s crazy that we were a match, and it’s someone that I completely don’t know,” Katisha says. “It is a miracle.”
Divine intervention? Perhaps. This living donor is a perfect match — no connection to Katisha at all — and completely anonymous.
Both Katisha and her donor came through the operation with flying colors.
Yes, the future. A life not tethered to a machine—where the possibilities are endless. Just like their gratitude to the anonymous angel who answered the call, spread across TV and social media, and gave Katisha a second chance.
“Thank you so much,” Katisha says. “I owe you everything.”
Katisha was discharged from the hospital four days after the transplant surgery. But her homecoming was short-lived. A day later, she started having chest pains. Taylor rushed her back to Sentara Norfolk General Hospital, where doctors confirmed she had a heart attack. She was admitted to the cardiac intensive care unit Wednesday night. As doctors monitor her heart, there is good news: Katisha’s new kidney is functioning well and does not appear to be impacted by the heart attack. Count on News 3 to follow through with updates.
If you are interested in learning more about becoming a living organ donor, click here.