A couple from Middle Tennessee is celebrating a remarkable turn of events after receiving critical surgeries that they describe as the best holiday gift they could have wished for. Victoria and Wayne Thornton faced significant health challenges, with Victoria needing a kidney transplant and Wayne undergoing double-bypass open-heart surgery. Their journey took a miraculous turn in December 2023.
Victoria Thornton had been on home dialysis for nearly three years, a treatment that dominated her and Wayne’s lives. In early November, Wayne underwent heart surgery at Ascension Saint Thomas Hospital in Nashville. “I had to have them crack the chest and jumper around the blocked arteries,” Wayne Thornton explained about his procedure.
While Wayne was recovering in the intensive care unit, Victoria visited him regularly. One night, as she was preparing to return home, she received a phone call at 02:30. Initially fearing the worst, she was instead informed that a kidney was available for her. “The girl on the line said, Miss Thornton, we have a kidney to offer you,” Victoria recalled. The news was almost too good to be true, considering the timing of her husband’s surgery.
The coincidence of both surgeries occurring on the same day in the same hospital surprised even their surgeon, Dr. Jacfranz Guiteau, a kidney transplant specialist at Ascension Saint Thomas. He admitted, “I was actually wondering, is she punking me, or is this really true? Because for her husband to have such a major operation, not only on the same day, but in the same hospital, was really a rare occurrence.”
Prior to Victoria’s surgery, the couple shared a touching moment. “They let us hug before she went into surgery,” Wayne said, highlighting the emotional bond they share amidst their health trials. Following their respective surgeries, both patients recovered on the same floor of the hospital. Their daughter played a crucial role, alternating between caring for her father and checking in on her mother.
Both Victoria and Wayne were discharged from the hospital on the same day, marking a new chapter in their lives. “It has been the best Christmas present anyone could have given me. We don’t need any Christmas presents,” Victoria expressed joyfully.
As they look forward to reclaiming their lives, Victoria emphasized the importance of organ donation, which made her surgery possible. For more information about organ donation, Ascension Saint Thomas provides resources for those interested in becoming donors.
This remarkable story of resilience and hope serves as a poignant reminder of the impact of medical advancements and the power of love and support in overcoming life’s challenges.
