Man Whose Plea For Kidney Went Viral Gets Transplant In NYC

NEW YORK, NY — A man whose plea for a kidney transplant went viral received a successful operation last week in New York City, thanks to the help of a complete stranger.

Robert Leibowitz, a 60-year-old Brooklyn native who now lives in New Jersey, said he was "desperate" for a new kidney when he started walking Disney World wearing a shirt with the message: "In Need of Kidney. O Positive. Call [Phone number]"

"Maybe it's my advertising background," Leibowitz told CNN. "I didn't know what was going to happen. But when you get desperate, you'll do anything."

One day as Leibowitz walked through the Florida theme park with his son, a stranger walked up to him and asked to take a photo of the shirt. Rocio Sandoval, who took the photo, shared it on Facebook. The Facebook post quickly went viral and has been shared more than 90,000 times.

That's when Richie Sully, a single father of two from Fort Wayne, Indiana reached out to Leibowitz. Sully called the number on the shirt and left a message saying he had the same blood type and would donate his kidney.

"Hi, my name is Richie. I saw your post. I have an extra kidney. I’m O-positive. You’re more than welcome to have it," Sully told Pix11 News.

Sully took a 15-hour bus ride to New York City and stayed in a Manhattan hotel for two weeks before the kidney transplant surgery, according to the report. He and Leibowitz hung out each day leading up to the operation and last Thursday the transplant was performed at New York Presbyterian Hospital on the Upper East Side.

A You Caring crowdfunding site has been established to help Sully pay for his expenses.

Photos courtesy You Caring