OAKLAND COUNTY, Mich. – Local 4 introduced viewers to Molly Williams and Kristi Cooper, two Oakland County women who will now forever be a part of each other's lives.
You can watch part one of the story in the video below.
Cooper donated one of her kidneys to Williams, essentially saving her life in the process. Now, both women are finally home from Henry Ford Hospital.
Henry Ford Center for Living Donation.
"This one guy came in and he said, 'I'm the one who takes the kidney from Kristi's room to your room,'" Williams said. "I was, like, 'Buddy, you have a huge job.' Like, do a good job. I remember thinking, 'That's a big deal.'"
Williams and Cooper are reliving all the details of their surgery. It's a day neither of them will forget.
The journey started last summer. Williams desperately needed a transplant, and when nobody in her family was a match, Cooper, a woman Williams had met during their weekly workout class at Orangetheory Fitness, got tested.
"From the moment I matched, I've never looked back," Cooper said. "I've never changed.
"Even when Molly and I realized that we were a match, it was like this sense of purpose that came over. Like, how could I not do this for her? You know, so it just was an overwhelming sense of purpose.
"We both believe that it's divine intervention that we met and that we had the conversation that made us realize that this is something that she needed."
Now, with the surgery and recovery behind them, the women are happy to be home. They're slowly settling back into their regular lives and have found a new outlook on life.
Cooper and Williams have been cleared to go back to their workout class. They're both happy, healthy and more grateful than ever.
You can watch part two of the story in the video posted below.