A heartwarming video of a daughter giving her father a second chance by donating one of her kidneys is going viral. Delayne Ivanowski, who goes by @delayne_i on TikTok, had secretly donated a kidney to her father, John Iwanoski. The successful surgery took place in a hospital in St Louis, USA.
Later that day, she shared her video of him finding out that his daughter was his anonymous kidney donor, which captured millions of hearts online.
According to local news sources, Iwanoski was diagnosed with an immunoglobulin A (IgA) deficiency, causing his immune system to attack his kidneys. As a result, he had spent three to five hours a day hooked up to a dialysis machine for over a year.
In the video, when his daughter walks through the door, Iwanoski gets emotional and starts crying. Delayne reassures him that she is okay and has nothing to get worried.
The post captions: Watch my dad find out that I was his anonymous kidney donor after keeping it a secret for 8 months.
Talking to the news sources, Iwanoski said: "I was upset, but I'm grateful. It's just hard to describe. I can't stop crying."
He continued, “You're too young. You've got a long time to be here, and my time's limited."
Wanting her father to have a better quality of life, Delayne hoped to offer her kidney. When the family learned about the disease, Delayne stepped up and offered him her kidney. But Iwanoski refused to accept it. Not taking no for an answer, Delayne contacted the hospital coordinator and got some tests done. After becoming an approved donor, she kept her secret safe for eight months before the surgery.
Social media users are admiring Delayne for the timely act of selflessness.
TikTok user, ckpierce_1018 commented on the post: "You're amazing. That's a lot for dad to process. We never want our children to sacrifice for us. Bless you, both!"
@joannerundle821 wrote: "Daughters will do anything for their daddies. Love and prayers."
"You are an absolute angel. The world could use more selfless people like you! It's truly such a beautiful story of love and sacrifice. We hope they both get well and strong soon!" said another user who goes by the handle @Chaz Deveaux.
Delayne posted the video hoping to raise enough money for her father's post-operative care. The video has now gathered over 4.5 million views.
