Straight men say gay organ donor saved their lives: Men honoring donor by attending San Diego Pride

10News, San Diego | Preston Phillips
SAN DIEGO - San Diego's annual lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender Pride Festival holds a special place in the hearts of two straight men after their lives were saved by a gay organ donor.

This weekend, they are attending Pride and plan to every year from now on in an effort to memorialize their hero.

Eugene Villacorta and Victor Vasquez share a very special bond, though the two have only known each other for a little over a month. It is not because both are straight and now best friends, but because the two share a kidney donated from a man who was gay.

"They asked me if I had any problems with that and I told them I have no problems at all with it," said Villacorta. "It came to the point where if I didn't get dialysis I could have died."

Both Villacorta and Vasquez met randomly in June, the day after their kidney transplants. It was during a pharmacy class at UC San Diego Medical Center where they were receiving post-op instructions.

"I happened to have him right next to me," said Vasquez. "We got there a little early, so we talked a little bit and … were talking about our donors."

They soon learned that the kidney they shared came from a 46-year-old gay man from San Diego named Ludovico, who went by Vic.
______________________________________________________ 
"You have the power to SAVE lives." 
To register as a donor TODAY
In California: 
www.donateLIFEcalifornia.org | www.doneVIDAcalifornia.org 
Outside California: 
www.organdonor.gov | www.donatelife.net

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