Jose Calixto, 56, received a life-saving gift from his son – a kidney. Jonathan Calixto, 30, “never hesitated” when he learned that his father was in need of a kidney transplant after suffering from kidney disease for nearly a decade. In an interview with Fox News, Jose said that he was diagnosed with kidney disease 10 years ago while he was attending a routine physical. The cause of his kidney disease was due to medication he took when he was younger. Calixto’s disease took a turn for the worse in 2021 where he was forced to receive dialysis treatment three times a week, for four hours at a time. Dialysis is a treatment that removes waste and toxins from the blood when the kidneys can’t do it themselves.

After two years of receiving dialysis treatment multiple times a week, Calixto’s health had declined, causing him to retire from his job as a porter at a New York City building. His kidney health continued to decline, making a kidney transplant Calixto’s only option at long-term survival. His son Jonathan, 30, immediately volunteered to give his father a kidney, but first the pair had to be tested to ensure Jonathan was a match. After hearing the good news that Jonathan was a match, Jose was hesitant to follow through with the donation. “He didn’t like the idea of someone giving up a piece of their body, especially his son — it felt like it was going to cut my life in half, in a sense,” Jonathan Calixto said. “So he was hesitant about moving forward at first.” After more time and research, Jose slowly became more comfortable with the idea of his son donating him a kidney.

On March 29, 2023, Jose and Jonathan went through a “smooth” surgery, giving Jose a second chance at life. They both had no major complications and have been recovering well. Jonathan had a smooth recovery and has returned to work, feeling “back to normal.” After the transplant, Jose has found himself with more energy and no longer feeling as weak and exhausted as before. He will make a full recovery six months after the transplant and will eventually be able to go back to work. “I’ve been given another chance at life,” Calixto said.