By Kerry Breen
Updated April 25, 2026 / 11:01 AM EDT
When 13-year-old Elias Manolis began feeling overwhelmingly tired in early 2025, his parents recognized a familiar pattern. Elias was born with ureterovesical junction obstruction, a rare congenital blockage that caused urine to back up into his kidney. Over the years he suffered repeated infections, underwent multiple surgeries and missed a lot of school and normal childhood activities. In February 2025 his fatigue became so severe that completing a full school day was a struggle.
Doctors determined Elias needed a kidney transplant, but with many more patients on the waiting list than available organs, his mother, Rita Manolis, was told he could wait up to two years. The family launched their own search for a donor, sharing Elias’ story on social media, working with outreach groups and speaking with local media.
Tim Fitzpatrick, a 44-year-old father of two from Long Island, saw a local news report about Elias. Fitzpatrick, whose older son has an immune condition, had recently explored becoming a living kidney donor. After reading about Elias, he felt compelled to help. Tests at a nearby hospital confirmed Fitzpatrick was a match.
NYU Langone nephrologist Dr. Laura Malaga-Dieguez said a living donor often shortens the wait and generally provides better, longer-lasting outcomes than a deceased-donor transplant. Because Elias received the kidney while still young, the graft could last longer and reduce how soon he might need another transplant in the future.
The families chose NYU Langone for the operation. On March 23, surgeons removed Fitzpatrick’s kidney in a minimally invasive procedure and transplanted it into Elias during a roughly four-hour surgery. Surgeons Dr. Bruce Gelb and Dr. Jonathan Berger reported the operations went smoothly.
Fitzpatrick was discharged the day after his surgery and—meeting Elias for the first time—visited him in the hospital before leaving. Fitzpatrick’s wife brought cookies, and Elias gave his donor a thank-you letter. “It was an emotional moment,” Rita Manolis said, recalling the visit.
Elias left the hospital five days after the transplant and, according to Dr. Berger, is recovering well. He will need lifelong immunosuppressive medication to protect the new kidney and is currently isolating as a precaution, but clinicians expect him to return to a normal routine soon: back to school, playing sports, spending time with friends and eating foods he had previously had to avoid. Rita Manolis said Elias now has normal kidney function for the first time. Elias said he is looking forward to riding his bike and enjoying a “big, juicy red steak” this summer.
The two families discovered they live only minutes apart and have kept in close contact. The Fitzpatrick children are close in age to Elias; the families talk regularly and are planning a backyard barbecue. “Tim is a part of [Elias], with him everywhere he goes,” Stephanie Fitzpatrick said, describing the bond that has grown between them. “It’s really special to see that connection there, and to see that this relationship exists… they’re part of our family.”