Woman met fiancé at her first wedding, then saved his life by donating kidney

By Finley Mackenzie via SWNS

A woman who met her fiance at her first wedding has now saved his life by giving him her kidney.

Kerry Swinton, 46, got married to her now ex-husband in June 2011.

During her big day, she met his pal of 20 years, Mark Taylor, 52, and they had a group picture taken together.

After three years, Kerry's marriage broke down and she filed for divorce in January 2015.

When moving a piano four years later, Kerry was looking on Facebook for a local man with a van when she stumbled across Mark's services.

After employing his services, the pair began chatting before Mark ''showed up with a bundle of flowers'' a few months later.

Mark and Kerry moved in together in November 2020 before his health took a turn for the worse.

In December 2021, Mark went into kidney failure due to a genetic disorder.

With little hope of a kidney donor, Kerry was tested and within weeks medics broke the news they were a ''perfect match.''

Kerry donated her Kidney to Mark. And after a successful surgery both of them are now in the clear.

Kerry, a business owner, from Shropshire, England, said: "I never thought the man I met at my wedding would be my perfect match.

"I thought he was kind but never imagined he'd end up being the love of my life with one of my organs."

"I never thought I would ever donate a kidney.

''It's very surreal.

"But I saw how much it was affecting his everyday life.

"He could barely walk without being in pain.

"And now I can't get him to sit down.''

Kerry married her ex-husband ''on the hottest day in 2011'' in Shropshire, England.

Among the 110 guests that attended, Mark arrived with his now ex-wife, and they met the bride and groom.

Kerry said: "He was lovely.

''It's so funny to see us in old pictures together.

"I can't believe he's in my wedding pictures.

''Mark had dated my ex's sister.

"I've known Mark a long time and I always liked him."

Kerry and her ex-partner went on to have a daughter together, Annabelle, 10, before calling it a day and divorcing.

She threw herself into single life, but after four years of dating and short-term relationships, Kerry decided to stay single to focus on her work.

''I wanted to focus on me and my life for a change,'' she said.

''I threw myself into work and also decided to take up the piano again so I bought an old affordable one on Facebook marketplace.

''The only problem was it was so large I had to then hire a man and a van.''

After randomly reaching out to Mark, he took the job and delivered it to Kerry's house just days later.

''We had a nice catch-up.

"I've known him for 15 years now.

''We spoke about relationships and he mentioned that he was seeing someone.

''We had a nice catch-up and that was that.

''I always liked him, but never thought he was single."

A week later, Mark messaged Kerry about furniture, and they began chatting ''nearly every day."

Kerry explained: "He asked me on a date, and we had a lovely day together.

"I could tell immediately I would fall for him."

After dating briefly, Mark moved into Kerry's home, in November 2020.

A year later, Mark began to get agonizing back pain due to polycystic kidney disease - a genetic disorder that causes fluid-filled cysts to grow on the kidneys.

Mark started on dialysis to cleanse the kidneys for six weeks.

On Boxing Day 2021, Kerry rushed Mark to the Queen's Elizabeth Hospital, in Birmingham, England, after a constant nosebleed left them worried.

Doctors revealed that Mark's kidney function had decreased drastically and immediately put him on a dialysis machine.

While Mark was being put on the machine, Kerry asked if she could be tested to see if her kidney would be suitable for a potential donation.

A couple of months later, the team at the Queen's Elizabeth revealed that Kerry was indeed a match.

Kerry said: "The chances were so slim.

"To think that after finding each other after all those years and to be a match.

"We were so emotional."

After his both parents passed away due to this condition it was such a relief to him.

Mark, said: "I cried my eyes out.

"I knew the chance she was taking to save me."

The couple discussed their options, and Kerry decided that she wanted to go ahead.

Just four months later, on September 19, 2022, Kerry headed into a four-hour surgery to remove her organ before Mark's eight-hour operation to transplant it.

The transfer was a success, and the two recovered at home before returning to work just six months later.

Mark said: "I never thought delivering a piano would get me a kidney.

"I owe her the world.

"She's giving me another chance at life."

The pair now are engaged, and they plan to get married in the new year.

Kerry, said: "I feel like more people should do this.

"It's barely affected my ability to work.

"He had my heart and now he's got my kidney."