Woman gives stranger gift of life, and her heart
Ashley McIntyre saved a total stranger's life by donating her kidney, now she plans to spend the rest of her life with him.
In what seems an unbelievable twist of fate, Ashley McIntyre, 26, gave Danny Robinson the gift of life, and then she stole his heart.
The pair got engaged on Christmas Day, less than a year after Ashley coincidentally heard about Danny's plight and decided to donate her kidney to him.
"I never in a Million years imagined this would happen...it was a whirlwind," Ashley told USA Today.
Danny, an electrician from Kentucky, suffers with a condition that causes inflammation and serious damage to the liver.
He spent two years on a transplant waiting list, and his future looked bleak until Ashley ventured into his life.
"I was on dialysis three days a week, four hours a day," Danny said.
When Danny's mother went on radio to search for possible donors, Ashley was listening intently.
Touched by Danny's story, Ashley contacted the radio station via Facebook and soon got in contact with representatives from the University of Kentucky's transplant program.
After various blood and urine tests, Ashley proved to be a match for Danny.
The pair and their families arranged to meet once the transplant was confirmed - the start of a blossoming relationship, although they did not know it then.
"We all clicked immediately," Ashley said. "They told me I would always be a part of their family."
For the next month or so, the pair talked on the phone and messaged one another.
The surgeries were performed in the UK on April 17.
After a successful operation, the pair helped one another through the recovery process.
Danny and Ashley officially became a couple just a few months later, and now they are expecting their first child.
On Christmas Day, Robinson sealed the relationship with a ring.
"On Christmas Day, we went to my mom's and started opening gifts," Danny said.
"I told her I'd forgotten one and pulled out small box."
He opened the box to reveal an engagement ring, and Ashley said yes.
The couple are yet to set a date for the wedding, but they are looking to buy a home in time for their little arrival.
A couple brought together by a kidney, now also bound by love.
Morning news break – February 13
