Nydia Gonzales

I have worked for Denver Public Schools for 32 years and currently serve as a Family Service Worker for the E.C.E. Head Start program at Samuels Elementary School in Denver.

It was there, about four years ago, that my journey as a living donor began. As an educator, I am always looking out for my students and their families. When two of my students began missing school frequently, I reached out to check on them. Their mother later came to my office and shared that her husband—the girls’ father—was seriously ill. I supported the family in applying for emergency health coverage through Connect for Health Colorado.

In the fall of 2022, we learned that he was experiencing kidney failure. Wanting to help, I began attending workshops with the National Kidney Foundation, where I met transplant recipients, living donors, and individuals still waiting for their chance at life. Their stories were powerful and inspiring.

After one workshop, I completed a survey indicating my interest in becoming a living donor. When asked if I would consider donating in memory of, in honor of, or in support of someone, I chose to do so in support of my student’s father.

I began the evaluation process in March 2025, scheduling appointments during spring break and after work. While traveling for work, I received a life-changing call on May 14, 2025: I had been approved as a living donor. My hope and prayer had always been to help my student’s father—and, incredibly, we later discovered we were a match.

However, due to our age difference, the medical team recommended a paired kidney exchange to ensure the best possible outcomes for both recipients. Through this kidney swap, both he and I were able to move forward with surgery.

On June 18, 2025, we underwent our procedures on the same day, recovering across the hall from one another. I was up walking first, and soon he was too. We visited each other like kids, not wanting to be apart. Through this journey, we have shared tears, laughter, and a deep bond that has turned us into family.

Today, my students call me “Aunty.” I’ve gained a brother and sister-in-law, and our families have blended in a beautiful way. We share meals together regularly, I see my students every day at school, and we have gone to church together to give thanks for the gift of life we now share.

I hope to one day meet the person who received my kidney, just as my student’s father hopes to meet his donor. This experience has been a powerful reminder of the impact we can have on one another—and the life-changing gift of saying yes.