Cornell professor surprises colleague with kidney donation

ITHACA, N.Y. (AP) — A Cornell University professor has surprised his friend and colleague with a gift of a lifetime, a kidney.

Ron Ehrenberg, the Irving M. Ives Professor of Industrial and Labor Relations and Economics, received a kidney transplant from ILR School associate professor Adam Litwin after waiting for a kidney for five years, the Post-Standard reported Thursday.

Litwin said he found out he was a match for Ehrenberg two years ago, but decided against sharing the news until he improved his health and knew his family was on board.

“I didn’t want to disappoint him if it didn’t work out,” he said.

Litwin was medically approved April 20, coincidentally Ehrenberg’s 75th birthday, and the transplant surgery was performed June 29, which was Ehrenberg and his wife Randy’s 54th wedding anniversary, the Cornell Chronicle reported.

“I now live with great hope that I will share several more decades of life with my best friend and the love of my life,” Randy Ehrenberg said.