One man brought a big change into his life in order to save his twin brother’s life.
When James Ingley was asked by his identical twin Dalton to donate a kidney, he immediately said yes without any hesitation.
“I don’t think I ever really did ask him to donate,” Dalton, 29, told the Today show. “He automatically said yes.”
James, who lives in Tulsa, Oklahoma, told the outlet that his decision was “the most important thing I had to do” — “I felt like if I had the chance, I would do whatever I could,” he said.
After a routine physical commissioned by his job in Pennsylvania, Dalton found that he had high blood pressure. It prompted him a hospital stay that ended with a stage 3 kidney failure diagnosis.
“At the time, it was like a shock,” recalled Dalton. “How is this happening to me, a 26-year-old?”
But before James could donate his kidney and save his brother, he had to do make adjustments in his life. He needed to lose weight to become a perfect match.
“My whole life sort of just changed,” said James, who weighed 299 lbs. before he made the effort to be more active and eat more healthfully. “The fact that I needed to donate a kidney made it so I’ve been able just to change.”
James’ new lifestyle led to a weight loss of 60 lbs. After losing weight, he noticed changes in his life. He could sleep better and experienced consistency in his everyday life.
Dalton got James’ kidney in May 2018 after a successful transplant. Dalton is currently “feeling great” almost two years after the surgery, according to Today.
Saving his brother’s life was also a great decision for James, who said he is happy to have made the lifestyle changes.
“It’s a chance, an opportunity to do something for your fellow man, person, stranger, neighbor, family member, and I think I did what everyone else would have done,” he said. “There’s nothing more special and rewarding.”
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