Photo: Suzanne Sausville / WBZ NewsRadio
DANVERS, Mass. (WBZ NewsRadio) — The Superintendent of Essex North Shore Agricultural & Technical School in Danvers Heidi Riccio went above and beyond for her employee, who was in desperate need of a new kidney before she stepped up with a life-saving donation.
David Collins, a masonry and tile setting teacher at Essex Tech, needed dialysis for his degenerative kidney condition several days a week before the transplant. Afterwards, Collins tells WBZ's Suzanne Sausville he feels like a million bucks, and it's all thanks to Riccio, who ended up being a perfect match.
"I loved her before, but I love her even more now," Collins said, "it blew my mind— we knew she was testing but Shelby and I both never thought that it'd be her."
Photo: Suzanne Sausville / WBZ NewsRadio
Shelby is Collins' daughter and the Executive Assistant to Riccio. She says the news left her speechless.
"I crumbled, she physically had to pick me up from the floor because I just could not control my emotion. It was just the most unbelievable moment," Shelby said.
Shelby Collins (right), Heidi Riccio (center), and David Collins (right).Photo: Suzanne Sausville / WBZ NewsRadio
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Riccio says she had her left kidney removed, and that she's just glad that she was a match for the surgery.
"I thought it was cool to help someone out in a different way, other than making sure the budget was ready for distribution. If you're healthy and you can do it, you can still live a full life. You're not missing anything, you're actually giving to somebody an extended life," Riccio said.
WBZ's Suzanne Sausville (@wbzSausville) reports.
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