Heartbreaking Loss Of Life Can Mean Second Chance For Another
AURORA, Colo. (CBS4) - The unexpected death of a young Colorado mother is helping bring life to others. On March 22, Simona Blenyesi suffered a catastrophic stroke. She passed away the following Monday.
"Unfortunately for my two boys ... their mom passed away a couple weekends ago. She was 37 years old," said Matt Martinez, Blenyesi's ex-husband.
Blenyesi may have died too soon, but her story is one of life.
"Their mom checked the box to be an organ donor," said Martinez.
Martinez happens to be a living donor and an advocate for organ donation. When flight nurse Dave Repsher, was severely burned in a helicopter crash in 2015, Martinez gave Repsher his kidney.
Martinez also tested to see if he was a match for his good friend Chris Padia, who was experiencing kidney failure due to Type 1 diabetes.
While he wasn't a match for his friend, Martinez continued to advocate for organ donation. He helped create the Colorado Living Donor Support Act and fought for Padia at every opportunity.
"Trying to bring Padia's name up every time that I was able to. To help."
Padia and Martinez became friends in high school, played football against each other in college and started and families at the same time. Padia even became the wrestling coach for Martinez and Blenyesi's two boys.
"He used to beat me up in high school. No -- I'm just kidding!" laughed Martinez.
Unfortunately, as Padia waited on the donor list, his condition became worse. He wasn't able to travel to see his kids in college. He could barely escape the couch. He was on dialysis for two years, nine hours a day.
"Back in the olden days, you just took pills and if it worked it worked; they never gave you any protection for your kidneys so they feel that's what failed. That that's what caused the failure of my kidneys," said Padia.
His dialysis ended just after Blenyesi passed away.
Blenyesi and Martinez's teenage boys, Michael and Marius, had barely wrapped their heads around her sudden death when they had to decide what to do about organ donation.
"Both boys brought up Padia's name for a kidney," said Martinez.
Blenyesi was Padia's match. Not only that, she matched with three others in Colorado and someone in California. Her kidneys, her lungs and her liver will save Padia along with other Coloradans and her heart was sent to save a Californian.
"I don't know how to say it in words but it's amazing that she was able to do that," Martinez continued, "I'm very proud of both boys. They had to make tough decisions that 18 and 19-year-olds should never have to make."
Padia's wife, Angie, said the moment he received Blenyesi's kidney, something remarkable happened.
"During the transplant they called out and said the kidney is already in. It's already working. Even before it's already connected it's already producing urine which is a huge thing," said Angie.
Padia even looked different.
"Not even exaggerating, Wednesday night in the recovery room he already looked so different. His face looked different, his eyes looked different, his smile was different. his entire demeanor was different. You could just see that he had been given a new zest for life almost," said Angie.
Not to mention the reaction of Padia's four children.
"You could just see it all over their faces what it was going to be to have their dad back."
Angie believes there was something bigger at play.
"The kidney he was given is a fighter kidney and ya know, wanting to be the best that it can for Padia which I think is amazing and a little bit of a message."
Martinez agreed. He knew Blenyesi as feisty, a fighter with a big heart. Everyone who knew her believed it was the reason for Padia's incredible turnaround.
"This is back to feeling the energy and having that inside me. It's an amazing feeling," said Padia.
While the brothers didn't want to talk in detail about the loss of their mother, both gave sincere nods when asked if seeing Padia healthy, helps.
As for Padia?
"Very thankful. Very thankful that they gave me this gift," he cried.
Both Martinez and Padia will continue to advocate for organ donation.
"I just think it's really important for people to realize how much of gift it is that they're giving. They're saving people's lives," said Padia.
"When you renew your driver's license or apply for a driver's license, just check the box yes," said Martinez.
April is National Donate Life Month, to learn more about organ donation, visit The American Transplant Foundation website.
Martinez created a GoFundMe page to help his ex-wife and her family cover funeral expenses.
