2-Year-Old’s Kidney Transplant Is Blessing From Donor

Note: This story has been changed to fix an error. A deceased donor gave Baby AJ a kidney, not his father, as originally reported.

ATLANTA, GA — Two-year-old Anthony Burgess was born without both kidneys and has been fighting since the day he was born. His battle included the hospital slated to do his life-saving kidney transplant surgery, which was postponed in October after the boy's father, Anthony Dickerson, reportedly violated his probation.

The older Dickerson was a perfect match to donate a kidney to Anthony Jr. (AJ), but after the delays on Wednesday the family's faith and prayers were answered. The toddler received a kidney from a deceased donor at Children's Healthcare of Atlanta at Egleston.

"His parents and family are overwhelmed with gratitude," family attorney Muwali Davis said, reports CNN. "They want everyone to know that with faith, all things are possible. When the situation was very bleak, it was their faith and the support of the community that pulled them through this."

The little boy received a kidney from a recently deceased anonymous organ donor, the Emory Wheel reported. The kidney is producing urine, which is a sign that it is working properly, the attorney said.

The transplant was delayed after Dickerson was arrested on Sept. 28 on charges of possession of a firearm and fleeing or attempting to elude police, said Shannon Volkodav of the Gwinnett County Sheriff's Office. He was already on probation at the time.

Personnel at Emory University Hospital sent a letter to the jail, explaining that Dickerson was scheduled to donate a kidney to his son and requesting that arrangements be made to transport him to the hospital for a pre-surgery appointment.

Dickerson was released on a $1,000 bond on Oct. 2 from the Gwinnett County Jail to undergo the procedure, but the hospital told the family that he would have to comply with his parole requirements for three months before he would be allowed to donate the kidney.

Due to his probation status, doctors at Emory were unsure of whether Dickerson could follow through with pre- and post-surgery requirements crucial to the success of the transplant, WGCL-TV CBS46 reported. "It's about my son," AJ's mother, Carmellia Burgess, told WXIA-TV 11Alive. "He's been through a lot. It's like we've been waiting on this. And Dad making a mistake shouldn't affect what he wants to do with our son.

"Emory Healthcare is committed to the highest quality of care for its patients. Guidelines for organ transplantation are designed to maximize the chance of success for organ recipients and minimize risk for living donors," the hospital said in an earlier statement, according to CBS. It also noted it can't speak about this case specifically due to confidentiality policies.

Amid the complications, there has been an outpouring of support for AJ Burgess on the GoFundMe page that Carmella set up. To date, supporters have donated and pledged $12,570 out of the $50,000 goal.

"[AJ] has been fighting for his life since the day he came into this world. Due to this I have been unable to keep a stable job because of numerous doctor's appointments and the smallest thing causing him to end up back and forth to the hospital. I am just trying to get some financial stability because I still have to provide for all of my kids as well as myself," Carmellia Burgess writes on the page.

People from across the country donated money and some offered to be a donor if the boy's father was not allowed to give his kidney.

"We are praying for Baby A.J. I feel blessed and honored to be able contribute somewhat," wrote one donor.

Article image via GoFundMe pageFighting To Get AJ A Kidney