WILLIAMSVILLE, N.Y. - A woman in Williamsville has made the selfless decision to donate her kidney to a complete stranger.
66-year-old, Jean Grasso, was having a normal evening watching NBC's American Ninja Warrior with her husband when she had a revelation.
"We were watching a tv program American ninja and there was a gentlemen who talked about his baby who had to have a kidney transplant and he also donated a kidney to somebody," said Grasso. "I just looked at my husband and said ya know what that's what I'm gonna do."
Her husband Leonard was stunned. "I was surprised because it just seemed like such a big undertaking."
The two have been married for 40 years and decided to take on the challenge to help someone else together.
"I went online and I did some research and I hooked up with the National Registry for Kidney Donation and then they hooked me up with the Cleveland Clinic," said Grasso." So I've been working through them and we're in the very last hurdles of it."
While at the clinic Grasso said many people wanted to know if she was donating her kidney to help someone she knew, "I was like no they said that doesn't happen very often at all."
According to the National Kidney Foundation, more than 100,000 people are awaiting kidney transplants. Grasso said she felt compelled to donate because of this need.
"I just thought you know, what if I can help somebody else have a better life why not," said Grasso.
The couple is accepting donations to support Jeans travel to Cleveland and the 'Share a Spare' campaign. You can donate here.