Ex-MLB participant finds liver donor via Fb when former classmate steps up

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A person's Fb plea for a liver donor attracted the eye of a high-school acquaintance he hadn't spoken to in 20 years.

In April 2024, after experiencing urge for food loss and shedding 15 kilos in a month, Steven Register, 42, was recognized with stage 4 colon cancer , in line with SWNS.

Docs advised the previous MLB pitcher — who performed for the Colorado Rockies in 2008 and the Philadelphia Phillies in 2009 — {that a} liver transplant was seemingly his finest probability of survival.

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"After we first met with the medical doctors, they gave me a 12 months to a year-and-a-half to dwell," Register stated, including that he and his spouse, Beth, instantly began researching choices.

The couple traveled from Auburn, Alabama, to the MD Anderson Most cancers Middle in Houston, Texas, the place Register underwent surgery for a brief ostomy bag and started chemotherapy, per the SWNS report.

<img src="https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2025/06/1200/675/liver1.jpg?ve=1&tl=1" alt="Steven, McKenzie, Blakely, Brooks, Beth. In a remarkable story of selflessness and hope, two former high school classmates who hadn't spoken in over 20 years are now forever connected through the gift of life. After a stage four colon cancer diagnosis, Steven Register, 42, a former professional baseball player who is now self-employed and lives in Auburn, Alabama, turned to a liver transplant as his best hope for survival. His wife Beth, 41, also self-employed, supported him through surgeries and helped spread the word on social media in search of a living donor. Steven’s former high school friend Kristin Johnston, 40, a preschool teacher in Roswell, Georgia, stepped forward to offer part of her liver." width="1200" height="675"/> "After we first met with the medical doctors, they gave me a 12 months to a year-and-a-half to dwell," stated Steven Register (pictured above along with his spouse, Beth). (SWNS)

Plans for the liver resection had been canceled when medical doctors found the tumors had been too giant, which led the couple to think about a transplant.

Register's spouse created a Fb group to seek for a living liver donor , hoping somebody would come ahead in time.

An surprising volunteer Kristin Johnston, a 40-year-old preschool trainer from Roswell, Georgia, noticed the put up and acknowledged Register as a former high-school classmate.

The 2 had met in 1999 at Shaw Excessive College in Columbus, Georgia, however hadn’t spoken in over 20 years, SWNS reported.

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"It was simply up to now out of left subject," stated Register, who couldn’t imagine it when Johnston volunteered to donate a part of her liver.

He added, "I have not seen or talked to her in over 20 years, and for her to succeed in out like that, it was simply meant to be."

<img src="https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2025/06/1200/675/liver3.jpg?ve=1&tl=1" alt="Steven, McKenzie, Blakely, Brooks, Beth. In a remarkable story of selflessness and hope, two former high school classmates who hadn't spoken in over 20 years are now forever connected through the gift of life. After a stage four colon cancer diagnosis, Steven Register, 42, a former professional baseball player who is now self-employed and lives in Auburn, Alabama, turned to a liver transplant as his best hope for survival. His wife Beth, 41, also self-employed, supported him through surgeries and helped spread the word on social media in search of a living donor. Steven’s former high school friend Kristin Johnston, 40, a preschool teacher in Roswell, Georgia, stepped forward to offer part of her liver." width="1200" height="675"/> Kristin Johnston (pictured above), a 40-year-old preschool trainer from Roswell, Georgia, noticed Register's Fb put up and acknowledged him as a former high-school classmate. (SWNS)

Johnston stated she began by doing a fast on-line seek for live liver donation and found that blood kind compatibility was step one.

"I simply despatched him a message," she stated. "I stated 'hey, what's your blood kind?' and he stated, 'I am B constructive.'"

She responded, "Wait, that’s mine too," and supplied, "I’ll fortunately donate a lobe if I’m a match."

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Johnston was later cleared as a match and obtained the affirmation on a significant day.

"I obtained the information on Good Friday, of all days, that I used to be formally cleared as his liver donor," she stated.

Surgical procedure and second possibilities The surgical procedure, which is predicted to take 12 to 14 hours, will contain eradicating 70% of Johnston’s liver and transplanting it into Register, in line with SWNS.

Each her remaining liver and the donated portion will regenerate over time, giving each a second chance at health .

"I obtained the information on Good Friday, of all days."

"For her, she is finally giving him the reward of life — for him, a extremely recent begin on this journey," stated Beth Register.

Steven Register added, "Hopefully, as soon as I get my liver with all of the tumor and most cancers out, I’ll be cancer-free from there."

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The Register household — together with youngsters McKenzie (16), Blakely (14) and Brooks (8) — launched a fundraiser on SupportNow to assist with journey, meals and medical bills.

Johnston and her husband Cody, 38, an actual property developer, have three children of their very own — Sawyer (9), Teddy (7) and Dahlia (4).

Elevating consciousness and religion Beth Register stated she hopes their household's story raises consciousness concerning the impression of dwelling organ donation.

"Lots of people don’t understand that dwell donations, whether or not or not it's for livers or kidneys , are even an possibility," she stated.

<img src="https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2025/06/1200/675/liver2.jpg?ve=1&tl=1" alt="Steven, McKenzie, Blakely, Brooks, Beth. In a remarkable story of selflessness and hope, two former high school classmates who hadn't spoken in over 20 years are now forever connected through the gift of life. After a stage four colon cancer diagnosis, Steven Register, 42, a former professional baseball player who is now self-employed and lives in Auburn, Alabama, turned to a liver transplant as his best hope for survival. His wife Beth, 41, also self-employed, supported him through surgeries and helped spread the word on social media in search of a living donor. Steven’s former high school friend Kristin Johnston, 40, a preschool teacher in Roswell, Georgia, stepped forward to offer part of her liver." width="1200" height="675"/> The Register household — Steven, Beth and their three youngsters, McKenzie (middle-left), Blakely (middle-right) and Brooks (entrance and heart) — launched a fundraiser on SupportNow to assist with journey, meals and medical bills. (SWNS)

She added that Johnston has been selfless from the beginning.

The households imagine destiny had a hand in reconnecting them, per SWNS.

"We simply pray that God is opening all the correct doorways and that Kristin is the proper donor for him."

"We simply pray that God is opening all the correct doorways and that Kristin is the proper donor for him," Beth Register stated.

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She continued, "We simply admire her being keen to place her life on pause to hopefully lengthen his life by many, many, a few years."

Reem Amro is a lifestyle manufacturing assistant with Fox Information Digital. She and the life-style group cowl a variety of story subjects together with foods and drinks, journey, and well being.