GALLATIN, Tenn. (WTVF) — A phone call on Memorial Day weekend in 2018 changed Sumner County Judge Ron Blanton's life but it came after more than three decades of living with kidney disease.
Blanton was first diagnosed in 1986.
"I was working in Shoney's restaurants at the time," Blanton said.
The diagnosis left him with deep uncertainty about his future.
"That was one of the uncertainties when you're diagnosed with a kidney disease," Blanton said.
His condition worsened over the years, and by 2012 doctors placed him on the kidney transplant list. Even doing everything right didn't speed things up. Being off dialysis actually worked against him.
"You're not on dialysis, we've moved you way down," Blanton said.
Then came the call he had been waiting for from an unexpected source.
"Brad from softball called me… 'I'm going to ask you a really weird question… do you need a kidney?'" Blanton said.
Brad's 19-year-old nephew, Christian McKenzie, died in a car crash that Memorial Day weekend. At 18, McKenzie had signed up to be an organ donor, and his family chose to honor that decision.
That gift led to a kidney transplant through Vanderbilt a match that was nearly perfect.
"It was like a 90% match, which was unheard of," Blanton said.
Eight years later, Blanton said McKenzie gave him a second chance at life.
"Since I got my transplant, I was elected judge. I enjoy my job. I play with my grandkids," Blanton said.
Each day, he thinks of the teenager who gave him the chance to stand up for what he believes in.
"I've been able to walk today… because of him," Blanton said.
That gratitude extends beyond himself.
"And he's not only a hero to me, but he's a hero to my family, my kids, my grandkids because of him and his selflessness," Blanton said.
For Blanton, every day is now something to be treasured.
"You take every day as a gift," Blanton said.
His story is a reminder that the decision to become an organ donor — one anyone can make right now — can mean everything to the thousands still waiting.
Do you know someone whose life was changed by an organ donor? Judge Ron Blanton's story is one of thousands — and there are still thousands more waiting. Watch the full video report above, and share your story or thoughts with reporter Kim Rafferty at kim.rafferty@NewsChannel5.com. Your message could help inspire someone to sign up as a donor today.
In this article, we used artificial intelligence to help us convert a video news report originally written by Kim Rafferty. When using this tool, both Kim and the NewsChannel 5 editorial team verified all the facts in the article to make sure it is fair and accurate before we published it. We care about your trust in us and where you get your news, and using this tool allows us to convert our news coverage into different formats so we can quickly reach you where you like to consume information. It also lets our journalists spend more time looking into your story ideas, listening to you and digging into the stories that matter.
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