WILSON COUNTY, Tenn. (WTVF) — A Smith County woman is hoping a billboard along Interstate 40 can help her find a new kidney.
Nicole Murphy was diagnosed with kidney failure six years ago. Ever since, she's had to have dialysis treatments three days a week.
"It's hard, it's frustrating, its depressing because you make friends with the people who sit beside you, and you go in one day and that friend isn't there no more," Murphy explained. "In the back of your head, you wonder how much more time have I got."
So Nicole's husband, John, who works for a local sign company, came up with an idea to search for a kidney. Last month, he helped put up a billboard along Interstate 40 near Highway 109 in Wilson County.
"We decided that that was the best location to put our sign up to bring awareness to it," John said.
The sign has a picture of Nicole's face and reads: "Nicole Murphy needs a kidney donor. Blood Type A+ Call 615-318-0170 to save a life."
"It's funny to see yourself on a billboard on the side of the interstate," Murphy said.
Since it went up, the Smith County woman has seen a massive response.
"I have messages, probably five or six messages, every morning when I wake up," Nicole said.
Sadly, some of those messages are cruel pranks
"People thinking it's a joke, and it's not a joke," Nicole said, adding that most of the messages are from people from all over, eager to help. "People I don't even know, from Texas, Missouri, Alabama, people who don't even know me, they say, 'hey I seen your billboard on the side of the interstate while I was going home.'"
"It gives me a lot of hope," Nicole said.
If you want to find a way to help, you can send a message to Nicole Murphy at 615-318-0170.
