CHESAPEAKE, Va. (WVEC) — This week, Reginald L. Jones was at home in Chesapeake taking it easy.
But, just a few weeks ago, he was in the hospital recovering after a kidney transplant.
"I feel fine. I feel fine. I've got one problem though: I can't talk," he laughed.
Laughing still comes easy though, because after waiting five years for the transplant, he and his family can't help but be happy he found a match. His daughter, Jordeen Lemon-Garcia, was especially thankful.
"It feels really, really great. I'm just happy with his progress and looking forward to seeing him without the cane, getting back to walking and getting back to his old self," Jordeen said.
She already saw a bit of her dad's "old self" about a week-and-a-half ago at her wedding, which she was so thankful he got his kidney transplant just in time because, of course, she needed her dad to accompany her down the aisle.
"We joked about it prior like if he can't walk me, then we're going to just push him down the aisle but towards the end, he just dropped the cane, like, 'I didn't need it,'" she said.
When the father-daughter pair first talked to 13News Now after the kidney transplant, the story reached quite a few people around the country.
Lemon-Garcia told 13News Now she received wedding gifts and letters from people in different states thanking her and her father for sharing this story.
Some people said they can relate, and they're happy her father was able to get a successful transplant.
Lemon-Garcia said she hopes others who are waiting for transplants don't give up hope just like her father never gave up.
If you're interested in becoming a possible match for someone in need of a kidney or want to learn more about donations, visit the National Kidney Registry website.
