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Colorado Woman Donates Kidney To Save Pennsylvania Man 35 Years After They Went To Prom Together

February 27, 2025

Today's good news story comes from Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.

A high school prom date turned into a life-saving connection decades later when Elena Hershey stepped up to help Dr. Shawn Moyer receive a much-needed kidney transplant.

ABC News

Moyer, now a chief quality officer at UPMC and a practicing family physician, was once a senior at Dallastown Area High School in need of a last-minute prom date. Hershey, then a junior, happily accepted the invite. Though they went their separate ways after high school, their connection resurfaced when Moyer found himself in urgent need of a kidney.

Having received two kidney transplants before—one in his teens and another 20 years later—Moyer faced another transplant requirement as his most recent kidney function declined. His wife, Alyssa, had previously donated a kidney in a paired exchange program, but she couldn't donate again.

Meanwhile, Hershey, now a teacher in Boulder, Colorado, had already decided to donate a kidney altruistically. When she learned through a mutual friend that Moyer needed one, she immediately reached out to help.

Although Hershey wasn’t a direct match, she participated in a paired exchange program—donating her kidney in summer 2024 to help another patient, which ensured Moyer would receive a compatible kidney in return. Her close friend Julie even traveled from Pennsylvania to support her during the surgery.

Last Friday, Moyer got the long-awaited call: a matching kidney was available.

“When I saw his text, I caught my breath and started to cry—happy tears,” Hershey said.

Now, Moyer looks forward to a healthier future, all thanks to Hershey’s generosity. Hershey, however, insists the process was easier than most people think.

“I started driving a couple of days later. It really was no problem at all,” she shared, encouraging others to consider organ donation.

Without a living donor, Moyer could have faced years on the transplant waitlist. Thanks to this incredible act of kindness, he’s getting a second chance at life—just as their high school connection came full circle in the most extraordinary way.

Watch the video below: