Friendship in Flight: A Life-Saving Turn of Events at 30,000 Feet

Flight attendant Jennifer Stansell, 38, from the United States, was diagnosed with lupus 15 years ago. Lupus is a severe autoimmune disease that causes the immune system to attack the body. Since her diagnosis, Stansell has suffered from severe kidney problems but ignored her symptoms for a long time, perhaps too long.

Until the inevitable happened, and Stansell collapsed during a flight and was unable to continue working. At the first possible stop, Captain Judy Hersecamp—a pilot—brought the plane to a halt.

The crew escorted Jennifer to a local hospital, where she underwent a long series of tests that culminated in a clear diagnosis from the doctors: "You need a new kidney, and you need it urgently. Every day you live with the current kidney puts your life at risk."

When Jennifer returned to the plane with the grim news, Captain Judy immediately responded. "I want to donate my kidney to you," she announced in front of the astonished crew members. And no, it wasn't just a gesture—since the two women had become friends a few years earlier when Judy's house burned down and Jennifer appeared at her doorstep with lasagna and wine to cheer her up. "I think it was my opportunity to thank her personally for what she did for me when I needed a shoulder to lean on," said the pilot.

Given Jennifer's critical condition, she reached out to everyone she knew within her circle of friends and family, asking them to enter the donor list. While many indeed registered, surprisingly, Judy's kidney turned out to be the perfect match. "Like a glove," the two say today.

The surgery was scheduled soon after, and the two women traveled to a hospital in Seattle where they underwent a highly successful five-hour operation. "Since the kidney transplant, my symptoms have improved, and I feel better than ever," says Jennifer, smiling at her dear friend, the pilot. "I don't know how to thank you."

But Captain Judy, in a calm and serene tone, smiles back and says, "Yes, I lost a kidney, but look how she's coming to life again—healthier and better. I'd say it's a fair deal, wouldn't you?"