Uber Driver Saves Passenger's Life with Kidney Donation

In a heartwarming story of chance encounters, an Uber driver saved his passenger's life by donating his kidney. It all started when Bill Sumiel, who was in desperate need of a kidney transplant, booked an Uber ride to take him to a dialysis center in 2021.

The Miracle Ride

Tim Letts, an Uber driver, picked him up and the two struck up a conversation during the ride. Sumiel opened up to Letts about his health condition and how he was in dire need of a kidney. Moved by Sumiel's plight, Letts offered him his kidney on the spot.

"He says, 'If you'll take my name and number, I'll give a kidney to you," Sumiel recalls. "I was shaking so hard I couldn't even write down his name and number."

A Successful Operation

Despite the initial shock and surprise, the two eventually connected and Letts was found to be a perfect match for Sumiel's kidney transplant. The operation was successfully performed at Christiana Hospital, and the two men have since become lifelong friends. Letts, a 33-year-old Army veteran, is currently living in Germany but plans to stay in touch with Sumiel through Facebook. For Sumiel, the transplant was a life-changing gift that he will always be grateful for.

The Miracle of Chance

Sumiel's story is a testament to the power of chance encounters and the kindness of strangers. The fact that Letts was in the right place at the right time and was willing to make such a selfless gesture is truly remarkable. Sumiel continues his rehabilitation work at the University of Delaware Health Exercise Counseling Clinic twice a week, and he has just passed the one-year anniversary of his kidney replacement surgery.

How You Can Give

If you are inspired to save a life and donate a kidney, you can find out how to do so in this article.

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Related Articles

How to Become a Kidney Donor

How Organ Donation and Transplantation Works

‍‍What is Dialysis?

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Reference

Miracle Uber Ride results in driver donating kidney to passenger

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‍About the Author

Rich Foreman brings over 30 years of technology leadership to his role of CEO and Co-Founder of KidneySoft.  As founding CTO, Rich led the team that developed the CordicoShield / CordicoFire Wellness App. Cordico was honored with the Sacramento Innovation Award in 2021. After achieving a 7 digit ARR, Cordico was acquired by Lexipol in 2020. Rich has a BS in Industrial Engineering from the University of Washington, an MPA from Troy State University and was an officer in the U.S. Navy. Rich co-authored his book, "Tap into the Mobile Economy." Rich's blog was listed in Top 20 Marketing Mobile Blogs of 2014. He has been featured on KCRA3, NEWS10, 1170 Tech AM PowerDrive, Business Radio Money 105.5, SiliconIndia, the Sacramento Business Journal, and the Sacramento Bee. Rich is also the Founding Director of the Sacramento Chapter of Startup Grind and served a term as Utility Commissioner for the City of Folsom. Rich is a regular contributor to TechWire.net and StartupSac. Rich was the Co-founder of Apptology which was named Small Business of the Year in 2014 by the Sacramento Asian Pacific Chamber. He was also the Founding Chief Technology Officer at Cordico. Cordico was acquired by Lexipol in 2020.  Rich also served 4 years as a Naval Officer in the Civil Engineer Corps.

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Patient Education Disclaimer

This material is for informational purposes only. It does not replace the advice or counsel of a doctor or health care professional. KidneyLuv makes every effort to provide information that is accurate and timely, but makes no guarantee in this regard. You should consult with, and rely only on the advice of, your physician or health care professional.

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