Double Organ Donor Hopes To Inspire Others

STAMFORD, CT — Earlier this month, Stamford resident John Rubino joined an exclusive list by becoming a double organ donor, and now he's hoping his story can inspire others to give the gift of life.

"Anybody that's 18 years of age or older and they're healthy, they can save a life. There's lots of opportunities out there. I'm hoping that sharing my story inspires someone else to step up and be that next organ donor," Rubino told Patch, three weeks after his most recent organ donation.

In 2019, Rubino donated a kidney to another Stamford resident, Jessica Rabasco. While recovering, Rubino began to think of other ways he could help people in need.

After finding out his liver was healthy, he explored a partial liver donation but had to wait a year before he could be considered.

Rubino was referred to Montefiore Medical Center in the Bronx, N.Y. After another six months worth of testing which began in September of last year, Rubino was notified in February that there was a match with a 7-month-old baby girl.

On March 2, doctors took 20 percent of Rubino's liver during a five-hour surgery, and successfully transplanted it to baby Ariany Perez.

The two are now both recovering at home.

Rubino recalled the moment he met Ariany after the surgery. The nurses had warned Rubino before he entered the room that Ariany was scared of strangers, and that he shouldn't be surprised if she started to cry.

Rubino walked into the room with a gift for the little girl — a small baby pearl bracelet with a guardian angel charm on it. The two, now connected for life, made eye contact.

"She was totally calm like she almost recognized me," Rubino said. "It was amazing."

A Spanish interpreter was in the room so Rubino could speak with Ariany's mother, Esperanza. But Rubino didn't need an interpreter to know how she felt. He could see it in her eyes.

"She came up and gave me a huge hug," Rubino said. "The mother was so grateful, and said, 'I don't know how to ever repay you for saving my daughter's life.' I just told her, 'As a father myself, seeing your daughter healthy, that's payment enough right there.'"

Perez became sick and was evaluated at 4 months old. She was in liver failure, and doctors immediately put her on the national transplant registry. There wasn't a match until Rubino came along, he said.

"It's all kind of meant to be," Rubino said. "It's just a miracle."

Rubino hopes people do research and get educated about organ donation in order to step up and help others.

According to the Health Resources and Services Administration, there are over 106,000 men, women and children on the national transplant waiting list.

"Your lifestyle doesn't have to change, you're not on a special diet. You go in healthy, you have the surgery, you come out healthy and recover," Rubino said.

During his workouts and series of tests leading up to his recent surgery, Rubino turned to his favorite band, Metallica, for inspiration.

"That's kind of the music that kept me motivated and inspired throughout this six month process. Whenever I had a day when I wasn't feeling it, I always put on Metallica and it helped me through," Rubino said. "It really helped me."

As for the future, Rubino has been on the national bone marrow registry for about 20 years. Bone marrow matches are extremely hard to find, but if Rubino were to ever get that call, he said he'd have to strongly consider another donation.

"If that comes about, that's God's will and we'll cross that bridge when it comes," he said. "Right now, I'm just focused on recovery."