Former MLB pitcher Steven Register finds liver donor in high-school classmate he hadn’t seen in 20 years

A man’s Facebook plea for a liver philanthropist attracted nan attraction of a high-school acquaintance he hadn’t spoken to successful 20 years.

In April 2024, aft experiencing appetite nonaccomplishment and losing 15 pounds successful a month, Steven Register, 42, was diagnosed pinch shape 4 colon cancer, according to news agency SWNS.

Doctors told nan erstwhile MLB pitcher — who played for nan Colorado Rockies successful 2008 and nan Philadelphia Phillies successful 2009 — that a liver transplant was apt his champion chance of survival.

“When we first met pinch nan doctors, they gave maine a twelvemonth to a year-and-a-half to live,” Register said, adding that he and his wife, Beth, instantly started researching options.

The mates traveled from Auburn, Alabama, to nan MD Anderson Cancer Center successful Houston, Texas, wherever Register underwent room for a impermanent ostomy container and began chemotherapy, per nan SWNS report.

Plans for nan liver resection were canceled erstwhile doctors discovered nan tumors were excessively large, which led nan mates to see a transplant.

Register’s woman created a Facebook group to hunt for a surviving liver donor, hoping personification would travel guardant successful time.

An unexpected volunteer

Kristin Johnston, a 40-year-old preschool coach from Roswell, Georgia, saw nan station and recognized Register arsenic a erstwhile high-school classmate.

The 2 had met successful 1999 astatine Shaw High School successful Columbus, Georgia, but hadn’t spoken successful complete 2 decades.

“It was conscionable truthful acold retired of near field,” said Register, who couldn’t judge it erstwhile Johnston volunteered to donate portion of her liver.

He added to SWNS, “I haven’t seen aliases talked to her successful complete 20 years, and for her to scope retired for illustration that, it was conscionable meant to be.”

Johnston said she started by doing a speedy online hunt for unrecorded liver aid and discovered that humor type compatibility was nan first step.

“I conscionable sent him a message,” she said. “I said, ‘Hey, what’s your humor type?’ and he said, ‘I’m B positive.'”

She responded, “Wait, that’s mine, too,” and offered, “I’ll happily donate a lobe if I’m a match.”

Johnston was later cleared arsenic a lucifer and received nan confirmation connected a meaningful day.

“I sewage nan news connected Good Friday, of each days, that I was officially cleared arsenic his liver donor,” she said.

Surgery and 2nd chances

The surgery, which is expected to return 12 to 14 hours, will impact removing 70% of Johnston’s liver and transplanting it into Register, according to SWNS.

Both her remaining liver and nan donated information will regenerate complete time, giving some a 2nd chance astatine health.

“For her, she is yet giving him nan gift of life — for him, a really caller commencement successful this journey,” said Beth Register.

Steven Register said he hoped that “once I get my liver pinch each nan tumor and crab out, I’ll beryllium cancer-free from there.”    

The Register family — including children McKenzie (16), Blakely (14) and Brooks (8) — launched a fundraiser connected SupportNow to thief pinch travel, nutrient and aesculapian expenses.

Johnston and her hubby Cody, 38, a existent property developer, person 3 kids of their ain — Sawyer (9), Teddy (7) and Dahlia (4).

Raising consciousness and faith

Beth Register said she hopes their family’s communicative raises consciousness astir nan effect of surviving organ donation.

“A batch of group don’t recognize that unrecorded donations, whether it beryllium for livers aliases kidneys, are moreover an option,” she said.

She added that Johnston had been selfless from nan start.

The families judge destiny had a manus successful reconnecting them, per SWNS.

“We conscionable believe that God is opening each nan correct doors and that Kristin is nan cleanable philanthropist for him,” Beth Register said.

“We conscionable admit her being consenting to put her life connected region to hopefully lengthen his life by many, many, galore years.”