STATE COLLEGE, Pa. (WTAJ) — Wearing a hospital gown, a green bracelet, and bearing stitches from her liver donation, a bride-to-be found herself in a proposal straight out of a fairytale.
Approximately 10 hours and six minutes—that’s the distance between State College and South Carolina.
In State College resides Peggy Miller, while Christina Benjamin calls South Carolina home. Despite the geographical separation, the bond between them has never been stronger. Their story traces back to 2023 when Peggy received a diagnosis of Non-Alcoholic Liver Disease (NASH).
Struggling with memory lapses, speech difficulties, and severe tremors in her hands, Peggy recounted, “All I wanted to do was sleep; my husband noted that I could sleep 18 to 20 hours a day.”
In January 2023, Peggy was placed on a waitlist for a liver transplant due to the worsening symptoms of her condition.
“I reached a point where I couldn’t even sign my own name,” Peggy shared. “Walking without falling became impossible.”
Given only three to six months to live by her doctors, Peggy and her family began preparing for the worst, even making funeral arrangements.
However, fate took an unexpected turn when Peggy received a life-changing phone call while in the midst of planning her own funeral.
To her surprise, a liver was available for her in Pittsburgh, and the surgery was scheduled for the very next morning.
Following the successful surgery, Peggy couldn’t help but ponder about the generous donor who saved her life.
Assuming her liver came from a deceased individual, Peggy was astonished to discover that her donor was alive and well. The donor turned out to be Christina Benjamin, who expressed a desire to meet Peggy.
Their emotional meeting felt like a divine encounter for Peggy, who described Christina as an angel sent from above.
Christina, who had chosen to be a living donor for her boyfriend Brandon, despite not being a match for him, exemplified unwavering support and love.
The couple’s bond was further solidified when Brandon proposed to Christina in the hospital, using a green bracelet as a makeshift ring—a symbol of their journey through his liver disease.
For Christina, there couldn’t have been a more perfect beginning to their “happily ever after.”
Peggy, now considering Christina and Brandon as family, eagerly anticipates their next chapter and even jokes about the possibility of a baby on the way.
Describing her recovery as nothing short of a miracle, Peggy expressed profound gratitude for the second chance at life she was given.
Dr. Abhinav Humar, Peggy’s surgeon, emphasized the rarity and significance of such selfless acts of donation. He highlighted the critical role of living donors in saving lives and reducing the waitlist for organ transplants.
Encouraging potential donors to consider the impact of their actions, Dr. Humar emphasized the importance of their contributions in alleviating the shortage of available organs for transplantation.