A Teacher Donated a Kidney to Move a Student's Mom Up On the Donor List - Zack's Good News

A Teacher Donated a Kidney to Move a Student's Mom Up On the Donor List - Zack's Good News

July 20, 2026 · 1 min

About this episode

A teacher donates a kidney to help a student's mother move up on the donor list, showcasing the power of kindness and community support.

Hannah Bomback, a seventh-grade teacher in Burton, Ohio, noticed that one of her students, Arieauna Johnson, was frequently missing class — and learned that Arieauna's mom, Melissa Johnson, was dealing with a serious kidney problem. Hannah had also taught Melissa's four older children and wanted to help the family any way she could, so she stepped up and  donated a kidney . While Hannah wasn't a direct match, her donation to a stranger through the National Kidney Registry generated a priority voucher. This amazing golden ticket bumped Melissa to the top of the active waiting list for a living donor, giving Melissa a real shot at getting her life back. Hannah says the transplant process went smoothly and is happy that Melissa and her family are getting a boost. Hannah admits that she also got a boost. As she explained, "When you give to other people, your life is made so much better. It feels weird because I personally have gotten so much joy out of it. I've benefited so much." See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

People in this episode

Guest: Hannah Bomback

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: National Kidney Registry

Places: Burton, Ohio

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