By Kerry Breen
Updated on: April 25, 2026 / 11:01 AM EDT / CBS News
When 13-year-old Elias Manolis began experiencing extreme fatigue in early 2025, his parents were alarmed but not surprised. Born with ureterovesical junction obstruction — a rare congenital blockage that causes urine to back up into the kidney — Elias had endured repeated infections, hospital visits and surgeries. The condition limited his diet and activity, and as he grew he often missed school and time with friends. In February 2025 his fatigue worsened to the point that attending a full school day was a struggle.
Doctors recommended a kidney transplant, but with far more people waiting than organs available, Elias’ mother, Rita Manolis, was told he might wait up to two years. She and her husband launched their own donor search, sharing his story on social media, working with outreach groups and speaking to local media.
Tim Fitzpatrick, a 44-year-old father of two from Long Island, saw a local news story about Elias. Fitzpatrick, whose older son has an immune condition, had recently looked into becoming a living kidney donor. Reading about Elias, he said, he felt drawn to help. Tests at an area hospital confirmed Fitzpatrick was a match.
A living donor not only shortens the wait but typically leads to better outcomes and longer-lasting kidneys than deceased-donor organs, said NYU Langone nephrologist Dr. Laura Malaga-Dieguez. Because Elias received the kidney at a young age, a longer-lasting organ could reduce how often he will need future transplants.
The families chose NYU Langone for the procedure. On March 23, surgeons removed Fitzpatrick’s kidney via a minimally invasive operation and transplanted it into Elias in a four-hour surgery. Surgeons Dr. Bruce Gelb and Dr. Jonathan Berger reported that everything went smoothly. Fitzpatrick was discharged the day after his surgery and visited Elias in the hospital before leaving; it was the first time the two met. Fitzpatrick’s wife brought cookies, and Elias gave him a thank-you letter.
“It was an emotional moment,” Rita Manolis said. “I don’t think there was a dry eye in the room.”
Elias left the hospital five days later and is recovering well, Berger said. He will need lifelong immunosuppression to protect the new organ and is currently isolating as a precaution, but doctors expect him to return to a normal life soon — going back to school, playing sports, spending time with friends and eating the foods he had missed. Rita Manolis said for the first time her son has normal kidney function. Elias said he looks forward to riding his bike and enjoying a “big, juicy red steak” this summer.
The two families discovered they live minutes apart and have stayed in close contact. The Fitzpatrick children are near Elias in age; the families talk regularly and are planning a backyard barbecue. “Tim is a part of [Elias], with him everywhere he goes,” Stephanie Fitzpatrick said. “It’s really special to see that connection there, and to see that this relationship exists… they’re part of our family.”