Jon Montgomery and sons Christopher and Jonathan.Photo:Courtesy of Jon MontgomeryJon Montgomery was on a waiting list to receive both a liver and akidney transplantwhen his two sons learned they could become living donors. Together, they saved their father’s life.“I’m always thanking them,” Jon Montgomery, 55, of East Liverpool, Ohio, tells PEOPLE. “It’s just an unbelievable blessing.”ThisThanksgiving, the family is grateful to be able to spend the holiday together — and they’re sharing their story in the hopes ofencouraging others to become organ donors.The family learned Montgomery’s liver and kidney were failing two years ago when without trying, he lost 75 lbs.“We panicked,” says the dad, who owns a dental laboratory. “How do you survive two organs failing? It was just a terrible time.“Jon Montgomery with wife Amy and their children.Courtesy of Jon MontgomeryMontgomery was placed on the deceased donor transplant list as his health continued to fail.While he was hospitalized, his family learned about the possibility of a living donor transplant. Immediately, his son Jonathan volunteered to donate a portion of his liver, while his other son Christopher volunteered to give his dad a kidney.My Extraordinary Familyis PEOPLE’s new series that explores fascinating families in all their forms. If you have a sweet story the world needs to know, send the details to love@people.com.Both brothers emphasize that their dad did not ask them for anything — becoming a donor was something they wanted to do.“There was no question,” Christopher, a 24-year-old dental student at the University of Pittsburgh. “I want to keep him around as long as I can…I want him to know my children. I couldn’t imagine life without him.“Both brothers are thankful that they matched their dad.“My dad’s one of my best friends,“adds Jonathan, 25, who is earning a PhD in biochemistry at Ohio State. “I’m going to do whatever it takes to make sure he’s okay, because I know he would do the same for us.“On August 1, a life-saving double transplant was performed at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center.“They’re a very remarkable family,” says Dr. Abhinav Humar, Chief of Transplantation at University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. “A very close-knit family where the sons are obviously willing to do anything for their father.”Jon Montgomery and sons.Courtesy of Jon MontgomeryAfter the transplant, Montgomery didn’t even have words to thank his sons. “All I could do was just hug them,” he says.“My two boys, they sacrificed so much to do this for me, but two weeks later, three weeks later, they’re living their lives again,” he adds, going on to praise their “amazing gift.“Jon Montgomery and family.Courtesy of Jon MontgomeryHis sons hope others willsign up to be living donors too.“You took a couple weeks out of your life to change somebody else’s? It’s worth it every time,” Jonathan says. “Before we knew that we were able to donate, things were very bleak. We were scared, we didn’t know what was going to happen.““Since the surgery, when I look at my dad and I can see the smile on his face, it’s so genuine. You can tell that he is just so happy now,” the 25-year-old adds. “He’s back.”
Jon Montgomery and sons Christopher and Jonathan.Photo:Courtesy of Jon Montgomery
Courtesy of Jon Montgomery
Jon Montgomery was on a waiting list to receive both a liver and akidney transplantwhen his two sons learned they could become living donors. Together, they saved their father’s life.“I’m always thanking them,” Jon Montgomery, 55, of East Liverpool, Ohio, tells PEOPLE. “It’s just an unbelievable blessing.”ThisThanksgiving, the family is grateful to be able to spend the holiday together — and they’re sharing their story in the hopes ofencouraging others to become organ donors.The family learned Montgomery’s liver and kidney were failing two years ago when without trying, he lost 75 lbs.“We panicked,” says the dad, who owns a dental laboratory. “How do you survive two organs failing? It was just a terrible time.“Jon Montgomery with wife Amy and their children.Courtesy of Jon MontgomeryMontgomery was placed on the deceased donor transplant list as his health continued to fail.While he was hospitalized, his family learned about the possibility of a living donor transplant. Immediately, his son Jonathan volunteered to donate a portion of his liver, while his other son Christopher volunteered to give his dad a kidney.My Extraordinary Familyis PEOPLE’s new series that explores fascinating families in all their forms. If you have a sweet story the world needs to know, send the details to love@people.com.Both brothers emphasize that their dad did not ask them for anything — becoming a donor was something they wanted to do.“There was no question,” Christopher, a 24-year-old dental student at the University of Pittsburgh. “I want to keep him around as long as I can…I want him to know my children. I couldn’t imagine life without him.“Both brothers are thankful that they matched their dad.“My dad’s one of my best friends,“adds Jonathan, 25, who is earning a PhD in biochemistry at Ohio State. “I’m going to do whatever it takes to make sure he’s okay, because I know he would do the same for us.“On August 1, a life-saving double transplant was performed at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center.“They’re a very remarkable family,” says Dr. Abhinav Humar, Chief of Transplantation at University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. “A very close-knit family where the sons are obviously willing to do anything for their father.”Jon Montgomery and sons.Courtesy of Jon MontgomeryAfter the transplant, Montgomery didn’t even have words to thank his sons. “All I could do was just hug them,” he says.“My two boys, they sacrificed so much to do this for me, but two weeks later, three weeks later, they’re living their lives again,” he adds, going on to praise their “amazing gift.“Jon Montgomery and family.Courtesy of Jon MontgomeryHis sons hope others willsign up to be living donors too.“You took a couple weeks out of your life to change somebody else’s? It’s worth it every time,” Jonathan says. “Before we knew that we were able to donate, things were very bleak. We were scared, we didn’t know what was going to happen.““Since the surgery, when I look at my dad and I can see the smile on his face, it’s so genuine. You can tell that he is just so happy now,” the 25-year-old adds. “He’s back.”
Jon Montgomery was on a waiting list to receive both a liver and akidney transplantwhen his two sons learned they could become living donors. Together, they saved their father’s life.
“I’m always thanking them,” Jon Montgomery, 55, of East Liverpool, Ohio, tells PEOPLE. “It’s just an unbelievable blessing.”
ThisThanksgiving, the family is grateful to be able to spend the holiday together — and they’re sharing their story in the hopes ofencouraging others to become organ donors.
The family learned Montgomery’s liver and kidney were failing two years ago when without trying, he lost 75 lbs.
“We panicked,” says the dad, who owns a dental laboratory. “How do you survive two organs failing? It was just a terrible time.”
Jon Montgomery with wife Amy and their children.Courtesy of Jon Montgomery
Montgomery was placed on the deceased donor transplant list as his health continued to fail.
While he was hospitalized, his family learned about the possibility of a living donor transplant. Immediately, his son Jonathan volunteered to donate a portion of his liver, while his other son Christopher volunteered to give his dad a kidney.
My Extraordinary Familyis PEOPLE’s new series that explores fascinating families in all their forms. If you have a sweet story the world needs to know, send the details to love@people.com.
Both brothers emphasize that their dad did not ask them for anything — becoming a donor was something they wanted to do.
“There was no question,” Christopher, a 24-year-old dental student at the University of Pittsburgh. “I want to keep him around as long as I can…I want him to know my children. I couldn’t imagine life without him.”
Both brothers are thankful that they matched their dad.
“My dad’s one of my best friends,“adds Jonathan, 25, who is earning a PhD in biochemistry at Ohio State. “I’m going to do whatever it takes to make sure he’s okay, because I know he would do the same for us.”
On August 1, a life-saving double transplant was performed at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center.
“They’re a very remarkable family,” says Dr. Abhinav Humar, Chief of Transplantation at University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. “A very close-knit family where the sons are obviously willing to do anything for their father.”
Jon Montgomery and sons.Courtesy of Jon Montgomery
After the transplant, Montgomery didn’t even have words to thank his sons. “All I could do was just hug them,” he says.
“My two boys, they sacrificed so much to do this for me, but two weeks later, three weeks later, they’re living their lives again,” he adds, going on to praise their “amazing gift.”
Jon Montgomery and family.Courtesy of Jon Montgomery
His sons hope others willsign up to be living donors too.
“You took a couple weeks out of your life to change somebody else’s? It’s worth it every time,” Jonathan says. “Before we knew that we were able to donate, things were very bleak. We were scared, we didn’t know what was going to happen.”
“Since the surgery, when I look at my dad and I can see the smile on his face, it’s so genuine. You can tell that he is just so happy now,” the 25-year-old adds. “He’s back.”
source: people.com
