Valley woman donates kidney to stranger after seeing sign on car

PHOENIX (FOX 10) -- In this week's Community Cares, a Valley woman literally sees a sign on the back of a car window about someone in need of a kidney, which turns into a selfless act for a complete stranger.

"I think that I just gave him quality of life," said Jolene Whiteside, kidney donor.

Jolene Whiteside doesn't consider herself as a lifesaver, but Scott Winebrenner certainly does.

"I know that she sees it as giving me a quality of life but for me, it is she is an angel," said Scott Winebrenner, kidney receiver.

Jolene and Scott only met in person a few short weeks ago on June 20 before the June 28 surgery that bonded them for life, when Jolene gave Scott a kidney.

"It just came to me I want to donate a kidney, so I went home and I said to Joel I want to donate a kidney, and he said ok," said Jolene.

"I definitely didn't see this coming, but we kind of live our life by faith and opportunity to be able to give back," said Joel Whiteside, Jolene's husband.

"We went to an event that night, I was speaking to someone telling them the story about how I kept seeing this and it kept popping up and somebody clearly eavesdropping because they overheard, and they said are you serious Jolene I know a guy, it's my boss," explained Jolene.

With one failed transplant, Scott was on dialysis hoping for a miracle.

The series of events that unfolded soon after, according to Jolene, were signs that this gift was meant to be. Proper steps were taken, Jolene was determined to match, and the decision was made to move forward.

"We met at the transplant center because I had not met him until the week before, and we met at the transplant center on Thursday and it was like we just knew each other," says Jolene.

"Without her, I wouldn't have this opportunity to continue to be a father to continue to be a good person in my life to be there for my family to be able to feel great," says Scott.

As it turns out, Scott received the new kidney 11 years to the day he became sober. Coincidentally, he received his first kidney from a woman who worked with Jolene's husband.