Kamdyn Hike was 12 years old when he died from a sudden asthma attack. This week marks three years since Krystal Burkhart lost her son."I still think about him every minute of every day," Krystal Burkhart said. "He was the most amazing boy. He was funny and he was so smart and everybody loved him. He was a wonderful kid."Family and friends came together for an annual celebration of life, sharing stories and honoring the memory of a life lost but never forgotten."If someone's having a bad day, he would go hang out with them and like cheer them up and everything. I'm pretty lucky to have a really cool big brother," Kamdyn's younger brother Ashton said."He was a really good cousin. When I would feel really sad and would put myself down because I would always get bullied at school, he would always be there to stand up for me," Kamdyn's cousin Wayne said.The same day that marks so much loss also marks a miracle — the day that Kamdyn's kidney saved Jake Harback."Without Kamdyn and his family, I wouldn't be here today. You know, I was months away from passing away. I was on dialysis for years... This gift, and you know, horrible day for the family. I just hope that my life in some way gives them solace," Jake Harback said. "I hope that they know that I try to live every day to make sure that I honor Kamdyn's memory."On Sunday, Harback saw Kamdyn's family for the first time."When I hugged Jake, I felt like I was hugging Kamdyn again. And I didn't want to let go. It felt like another part of me was starting to heal if that makes sense," Kamdyn's aunt, Megan Burkhart, said.The group released balloons as a part of Kamdyn's celebration of life. Jake stood arm in arm with Kamdyn's famiy. "It was really hard losing Kamdyn, but the organ donation process and being able to talk to people that my son saved made it so much easier. A piece of my son lives on through them," Krystal Burkhart said.If you would like to become a donor, click here.

CELEBRATING A DIFFERENT KIND OF GIFT. >> 12 NEWS’ GERRON JORDAN HAS AN EXCLUSIVE LOOK AT HER TIME AS A PATIENT. REPORTER: HEIDI PRODOEHL MIGHT KNOW THE INSIDE OF FROEDERT’S TRANSPLANT CENTER, BETTER THAN ANYONE ELSE. >> I’M JUST, LIKE, INTERCONNECTED MULTIPLE WAYS. REPORTER: THE WIFE, AND MOM OF TWO YOUNG KIDS, HAS BEEN A TRANSPLANT NURSE HERE FOR MORE THAN A DECADE BUT TODAY, SHE’S NOT THE ONE CHECKING THE VITALS. SHE’S A PATIENT, BRINGING 12 NEWS WITH HER EXCLUSIVELY TO HER FIRST POST OP APPOINTMENT AFTER GETTING A KIDNEY TRANSPLANT. >> SHE WOULD BE KIND OF A POSTER CHILD OF PEOPLE WHO COME IN AND DO WELL. SHE WOULD BE THE POSTER CHILD. SHE’S DOING AMAZING. >> HOW ARE THINGS? >> AMAZING. I’M DOING REALLY WELL. I GOT MY DRAIN TAKEN OUT. I GOT A STABLE TAKEN OUT BECAUSE THE WOUND IS LOOKING REALLY GOOOD. REPORTER: THIS WAS HEIDI TWO WEEKS AGO, WHEELED OFF OF THE VERY FLOOR SHE WORKS, TO CHEERS FROM COLLEAGUES WHO HAVE BECOME MUCH MORE. >> THEY’RE MY FAMILY. THEY KNOW EVERYTHING. SO, THEY WERE WELL INFORMED ABOUT EVERYTHING GOING ON. THEY KNEW AHEAD OF TIME. REPORTER: WE FIRST INTRODUCED YOU TO HEIDI IN 2020. >> AND NOW, YOU’RE IN NEED OF A TRANSPLANT YOURSELF. REPORTER: WHEN SHE FOUND HERSELF ON THE TRANSPLANT LIST FOR THE SECOND TIME IN HER LIFE BORN WITH A RARE GENETIC DISORDER, SHE NEEDED HER FIRST TRANSPLANT A NEW LIVER IN 2005. >> UNFORTUNATELY THE REJECTION MEDS ARE HARSH ON THE KIDNEYS, IT’S A SIDE EFFECT, SO NOW I’M LISTED FOR A KIDNEY TRANSPLANT. REPORTER: CHRISTMAS CAME EARLY THIS MONTH WHEN JUST DAYS BEFORE STARTING DIALYSIS A MATCH. >> SO, THE NIGHT ACTUALLY, I GOT THE CALL AND CAME IN, EVERYONE WAS LIKE RUNNING DOWN THE HALLWAYS, EXCITED AND CONGRATULATING AND HUGGING ME. AND I WAS SO HAPPY, SO HAPPY. IT WAS ME THAT WAS COMING IN FOR THIS ORGAN. IT WAS AMAZING. >> WHAT A BLESSING IS THAT TO HAVE BEEN PREPARING TO START DIALYSIS AND THEN TO GET THE CALL THAT YOU CAN HAVE SURGERY IN A MATTER OF HOURS. >> YES, IT’S A WHIRLWIND. I’M STILL MY MINDSET HASN’T QUITE SUNK IN YET MY LIFE IS TOTALLY CHANGED. REPORTER: BACK ON THE MEND, BUT NOT QUITE BACK TO WORK SHE’S USING THE RECOVERY TIME TO SHARE HER STORY OF THE IMPORTANCE OF ORGAN DONATION. >> YES. LIKE CHRISTMAS. ESPECIALLY RIGHT NOW LIKE THIS IS AMAZING, BECAUSE YOU KNOW, WHOEVER THAT WAS, YOU KNOW, I WOULDN’T BE SITTING HERE TODAY TALKING TO YOU GUYS HAD IT NOT BEEN FOR THEM. REPORTER: IN HOPES OF ENCOURAGING OTHERS TO GIVE THE GIFT OF LIFE. >> 1 OUT OF EVERY 6 PEOPLE KNOW SOMEBODY WHO HAS NEEDED OR IS ON A TRANSPLANT LIST WHICH MEANS THAT THE LIFE YOU SAVE CAN BE YOUR NEXT DOOR NEIGHBOR OR EVEN YOUR FAMILY. REPORTER: IN MILWAUKEE, I’M GERRON JORDAN. >> WHILE HEIDI WAS THERE FOR HER APPOINTMENT SHE MET FROEDTERT’S OLDEST LIVING DONOR. MARKESHA GRAYSON DONATED A KIDNEY TO HER DAD 28 YEARS AGO, GIFTING HIM FIVE EXTRA YEARS OF LIFE. >> FOR FIVE YEARS TO NO YEARS. I’LL TAKE FIVE. WE WILL TAKE FIVE YEARS. YOU CAN STILL LIVE THE LIFE WITH ONE KIDNEY. >> ACCORDING TO THE HEALTH RESOURCES AND SERVICES ADMINISTRATION, MORE THAN 100,000 PEOPLE ARE ON THE NATIONAL TRANSPLANT

‘It’s a whirlwind’: Transplant nurse gets kidney transplant at hospital where she works

Updated: 2:13 PM EST Dec 28, 2022

Heidi Prodoehl might know the inside of Froedtert's transplant center in Milwaukee better than anyone else."I'm just, like, interconnected multiple ways," she told sister station WISN. The West Bend wife and mom of two young kids has been a transplant nurse at Froedtert for more than a decade. But on this particular day in December, she's not the one checking the vitals; she's a patient, bringing WISN with her exclusively to her first post-op appointment after getting a kidney transplant."She would be kind of a poster child of people who come in and do well," said Froedtert surgeon, Dr. Terra Pearson. "She would be the poster child. She's doing amazing.""I'm doing really well," Prodoehl said. "I got my drain taken out. I got a staple taken out because the wound is looking really good."Earlier this month, Prodoehl was wheeled off the same floor she works to cheers from colleagues who have become much more."They're my family. They know everything. They were well-informed about everything going on. They knew ahead of time," Prodoehl said.WISN first introduced us to Prodoehl in 2020 when she found herself on the transplant list for the second time in her life. Born with a rare genetic disorder, she needed her first transplant, a new liver, in 2005.Christmas came early this month when just days before starting dialysis, a match was found."The night actually, I got the call and came in, everyone was like running down the hallways, excited and congratulating and hugging me. And I was so happy, so happy. It was me that was coming in for this organ," she said.Back on the mend, but not quite back to work, she's using the recovery time to share her story of the importance of organ donation."Yes, like Christmas. Especially right now, like, this is amazing because, you know, that person or whoever, whoever that was, I wouldn't be sitting here today talking to you guys had it not been for them. It's just amazing," she said.In hopes of encouraging others to give the gift of life."One out of every six people know somebody who has needed or is on a transplant list," Pearson said. "Which means that the life you save can be your next-door neighbor or even your family."To be connected with organ donation resources near you, click here.

MILWAUKEE —

Heidi Prodoehl might know the inside of Froedtert's transplant center in Milwaukee better than anyone else.

"I'm just, like, interconnected multiple ways," she told sister station WISN.

The West Bend wife and mom of two young kids has been a transplant nurse at Froedtert for more than a decade. But on this particular day in December, she's not the one checking the vitals; she's a patient, bringing WISN with her exclusively to her first post-op appointment after getting a kidney transplant.

"She would be kind of a poster child of people who come in and do well," said Froedtert surgeon, Dr. Terra Pearson. "She would be the poster child. She's doing amazing."

"I'm doing really well," Prodoehl said. "I got my drain taken out. I got a staple taken out because the wound is looking really good."

Earlier this month, Prodoehl was wheeled off the same floor she works to cheers from colleagues who have become much more.

"They're my family. They know everything. They were well-informed about everything going on. They knew ahead of time," Prodoehl said.

WISN first introduced us to Prodoehl in 2020 when she found herself on the transplant list for the second time in her life. Born with a rare genetic disorder, she needed her first transplant, a new liver, in 2005.

Christmas came early this month when just days before starting dialysis, a match was found.

"The night actually, I got the call and came in, everyone was like running down the hallways, excited and congratulating and hugging me. And I was so happy, so happy. It was me that was coming in for this organ," she said.

Back on the mend, but not quite back to work, she's using the recovery time to share her story of the importance of organ donation.

"Yes, like Christmas. Especially right now, like, this is amazing because, you know, that person or whoever, whoever that was, I wouldn't be sitting here today talking to you guys had it not been for them. It's just amazing," she said.

In hopes of encouraging others to give the gift of life.

"One out of every six people know somebody who has needed or is on a transplant list," Pearson said. "Which means that the life you save can be your next-door neighbor or even your family."

To be connected with organ donation resources near you, click here.