A Gift of Life and Hope: The Journey of Living Kidney Donor Kaci Alvarado

Mark White | The Mark White Show

Amarillo, Texas - Sometimes life-changing moments happen in the most ordinary places. For Kaci Alvarado of Pampa, Texas, it was while getting her oil changed that she came across a letter that would alter two lives forever.

As she sat waiting at her friend’s Quick Lube, Kaci was handed a note from someone asking for help. Halfway through reading it, she realized she might be the person who could make the difference.

“I saw a man with two kids about the same age as mine,” Kaci remembered. “All I thought was if something happened to him, his kids would be alone. If that were me, I’d want someone to step up for my kids.”

That thought, simple, powerful, and filled with compassion, set in motion an extraordinary act of generosity.

The Decision to Step Forward

Without hesitation, Kaci told her friend, “I’m O positive. How do I get tested?”

She learned she was a match and made the decision to become a living kidney donor for a man she had never met, a single father in desperate need of help.

“It was a God thing,” she said. “I just felt like it was the right thing to do, and it would be wrong not to offer. I was supposed to help.”

When she told her family, the reactions were mixed. Her parents were proud but understandably afraid. Her children were anxious but reassured when the transplant center offered testing to see if she might be a match for them someday. “It turned out their dad was actually a better match for both kids,” she said with a laugh.

Her parents’ concerns eased further when they learned that living donors are given top priority on the transplant list if they ever need one themselves.

Meeting the Recipient

Kaci met her recipient, Michael, for the first time during her day of testing.

“I’d never met anyone on the transplant list before,” she said. “He didn’t look sick, but the doctor said he might not make it to the top of the deceased donor list. A living donor was his only chance.”

Michael’s hope and gratitude confirmed Kaci’s decision. “His love for life and his faith encouraged me,” she said. “I knew I was doing the right thing.”

Surgery and Recovery

The surgery went smoothly thanks to a caring and experienced medical team.

Recovery was relatively easy. “The worst part was realizing I wasn’t quite as strong as I thought,” she said. “I went to the mall the day I got out of the hospital, that was a mistake!”

She also had to follow strict lifting limits. “I love milk, but I had to buy half-gallons because a gallon weighs eight pounds and my limit was five,” she joked.

A Gift That Keeps Giving

Michael’s life was transformed. “He said he didn’t realize how sick he was until he woke up feeling better,” Kaci shared. “He’s since gained 11 grandchildren. It’s an amazing feeling to know I was a small part of that.”

For Kaci, the experience deepened her faith and her belief that compassion can truly change the world, one decision at a time.

A Life of Adventure and Advocacy

Far from slowing down, Kaci has embraced life after donation with new energy and purpose.

She’s part of Kidney Donor Athletes, a group of living donors proving that you can live a full, active life with one kidney.

Just last month, she hiked the Grand Canyon alongside 15 other donors. “We planned a rim-to-rim hike, but due to fires, it became a rim-to-river-to-rim, 22 miles and over 10,000 feet of elevation change in one day,” she said.

“Being surrounded by people who share this experience was incredible. Every donor has their own story. Along the way, we met a woman who said, ‘I have three kidneys,’ and it turned out she was a recipient. Everywhere we went, we met people with transplant stories.”

The Transplant Games of America

Kaci is also a proud member of Team Texas for the upcoming Transplant Games of America, set to take place in Denver, Colorado, in 2026.

Her first experience with the games came in Birmingham, Alabama, where she unexpectedly won a silver medal in the five-kilometer cycling event.

“I didn’t even know I’d placed,” she said. “I just wanted to finish the race. My friend had to yell for me to get to the podium!”

The Transplant Games bring together donors, recipients, and families to celebrate life and raise awareness about organ donation.

“There’s something for everyone,” Kaci said. “Hardcore cycling and running, but also cornhole, trivia, and family events. Even the general public can join through the new Colorado Challenge. It’s all about celebrating life and connection.”

Why It Matters

Right now, more than 100,000 people in the United States are waiting for a transplant. Kaci hopes her story inspires others to consider becoming living donors.

“If more living donors stepped up, we could eliminate that waiting list,” she said. “Donation doesn’t slow you down, it gives you a new appreciation for life.”

She’s also passionate about encouraging other donors to connect with the community through events like the Transplant Games.

“For donors who never meet their recipients, it’s powerful to hear from others and see firsthand that their gift truly mattered,” she said. “Thousands of people gathered in one place, it’s proof that hope is real and miracles happen.”

An Ambassador for Life

Today, Kaci serves as an ambassador for living donation, using her voice to share hope and encourage others to take that first step.

“I used to feel like an outcast,” she said. “But when I found the transplant community, I found my people. Being part of this mission is an honor. It reminds me every day how precious life is.”

She joins others like Alabama’s Bethany Agee, another living donor who has shared her own story through The Mark White Show, to inspire hope and encourage organ donation.

For those interested in learning more, visit donatelife.net to register as a donor, and transplantgamesofamerica.org to learn how to participate or volunteer.

A Final Word

Kaci Alvarado’s story is one of courage, faith, and compassion, a reminder that a single act of generosity can ripple through generations.

Her message is simple but powerful: Generosity doesn’t hold you back. It propels you forward.