A woman with four children who suffers from a serious kidney illness received an incredible gift when she found out that her close friend and fellow Harry Potter enthusiast was a perfect match for a kidney donation.
Misty Brooks, 42, was given the heartbreaking news that one of her kidneys was failing in January 2022.
Her best friend Megan Carpenter, 33, watched her friend’s health decline and secretly got tested in April.
And to her delight, they were a match – the closest outside of a relative.
The pair, both from Houston, Texas, met in a Harry Potter fan group chat in 2018 and hit it off to the point where they arranged to meet in person.
Megan, who is a mother herself, shared with DailyMail.com how their friendship blossomed, saying: “We crossed paths in a chat group for Disney and Harry Potter enthusiasts back in 2018, and we just clicked instantly. As we got to know each other better, we discovered more and more shared interests.”
‘Now she’s my best friend, and I couldn’t imagine my life without her.’
The bond between them grew so strong that they started going on family trips together to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter in Orlando, Florida, proudly representing their respective Hogwarts houses.
Misty Brooks, 42, (left) and Megan Carpenter, 33, met in a Harry Potter fan group chat in 2018 and hit it off to the point where they arranged to meet in person
Megan and Misty went on family vacations together to Orlando, Florida, to visit the Wizarding World of Harry Potter and Universal Studios
In 2022, Misty got a crushing blow from doctors who informed her that her kidney function had dropped to 19 percent and that she would have to start dialysis if she wasn’t matched with a donor soon
Misty, who works in oil and gas supply chain management, was diagnosed with polycystic kidney disease 20 years ago.
But in 2022, she got a crushing blow from doctors who informed her that her kidney function had dropped to 19 percent and that she would have to start dialysis if she wasn’t matched with a donor soon.
Dialysis – a treatment that removes excess fluid and waste products from the blood when the kidneys are no longer able to function properly – scared Misty who explained ‘when you’re on dialysis, you have to get sicker to go up the list’.
Misty said: ‘My kidney wasn’t functioning normally, and my body was running on toxins.
‘I tried to keep myself active, but my legs were swollen, I was in pain because I had a build-up of acid around the joints that the kidneys are supposed to push out.
‘I was constantly tired and had brain fog. It was life and death. If I didn’t get a kidney or go on dialysis I would die.
‘I decided to go for the transplant. Anxiety set in when I realized that if it didn’t work, I’d have to go on dialysis. It was scary.’
Megan, an executive assistant, watched as Misty’s health declined over the two years after she was given the devastating news.
Megan secretly started the process of testing in April and found out after weeks of tests that she was a perfect match – the closest outside of a relative
Misty, who was diagnosed with polycystic kidney disease 20 years ago, drinking ‘butter beers’ with best friend Megan at Harry Potter World’s Hogsmeade attraction
Before the surgery on December 3, Misty reassured her friend that if she wanted to change her mind, it wouldn’t ruin their friendship – but Megan was determined to save her friend’s life
Misty posing with the nurses who helped her throughout her kidney transplant after she was cleared to leave the Houston Methodist Transplant Unit on December 6
‘I saw the impact the disease was having on her health and quality of life, especially in the last couple of years as her function really started to decline.
‘I knew a transplant would give her more years with her children and give her back the ability to really live and enjoy life, not just exist feeling terrible all the time.’
When 33-year-old Megan got tested and found out she was a match, she immediately contacted her best friend.
Misty recalled that special moment saying: ‘When we found out Megan was a direct match, we both cried. The doctors said that it was as good as it could be without being a relative.’
The women were nervous before the surgery as they knew the risks, but going through it together brought Megan some comfort. Misty at one point even reassured her friend that if she wanted to change her mind, it wouldn’t ruin their friendship – but Megan was determined to save her friend’s life.
Megan explained: ‘There were a lot of ‘what ifs’ going through my head.
‘At the same time, I had no doubt about going through with the surgery. I had complete faith in our teams, and it just felt like I was meant to do this.’
On December 3, the best friends went into the operating room at the Houston Methodist Transplant Unit. Now, they’re recovering at home after the successful surgery.
Megan in the operating room on December 3 she was discharged two days after the surgery
Misty wrote on Facebook that her vitals are fantastic and that she’s taking home 15 medications that’ll have to be ‘fine-tuned’ according to her lab results
Misty was discharged from the hospital on December 6. Her care unit sent her off with a poem titled ‘another chance’ to celebrate the mom-of-four’s new lease on life
Megan was able to go home on December 5, and aside from feeling a little sore, Misty’s vitals were ‘fantastic,’ the 44-year-old wrote on Facebook that same day.
‘I’m hopeful that this upward trend will continue as I am start outpatient recovery next week,’ Misty wrote. ‘I’ll be taking home 15 new medications, which will require some careful juggling over the next few weeks as the dosages and medications are fine-tuned based on my lab results.’
The now recovering Misty was discharged on December 6.
Misty told DailyMail.com that the duo are no longer just best friends but are sisters, connected not just by their shared love for the Harry Potter fandom, but an organ.
‘I’ll do everything I can to take care of the kidney she donated,’ mom-of-four Misty said. ‘Words can’t fully express the depth of my gratitude for the incredible gift she’s given me.
‘She’s not only changed my life, she’s saved it. Her selflessness, kindness and courage leaves me in awe and I’m so blessed to call her my best friend.
‘I always knew she was special but I didn’t know that our friendship would grow into something life changing. And the fact that she was willing to give me a second chance at life by donating her kidney is a testament to the incredible person she is.
‘I’ll live life to the fullest and cherish every moment she’s made possible for me.’
Misty is in anti-rejection management for her new kidney, but she plans to go back to work remotely in January.
