Man, 74, walks miles wearing sign to find kidney for wife

FARR WEST, Utah (KSTU) – A 74-year-old Utah man is going the distance to save his wife's life -- really.

Wayne Winters is searching for a kidney for his wife by walking the streets of Utah wearing a sign that says "need a kidney 4 wife" in big, red letters.

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The stunt has turned the heads of many drivers and thousands of people online who want to help Winters and his wife.

"My wife has stage 5 kidney failure she's on dialysis and she doesn't like it -- it's horrible," Winters said.

His wife Deanne is undergoing dialysis while she waits for a kidney.

Winters said he felt helpless watching his wife suffer and searched for ideas. He got idea of using the sandwich board sign from another man online.

 

"Look at this road, how busy it is from 3 to 6 o'clock," Winters said. "It's just like this. I don't know which way to face so I just walk up and down."

Winters is pleading on behalf of his wife, as well as the hundreds of people in Utah who also need kidneys.

Unlike most people, Winters' favorite time is rush hour.

"They're slowed down, they can look at my sign -- they can't go home in a hurry," Winters said, laughing.

On his first day walking the road, Winters had a man stop saying he would see if he was a match for Deanne. 

"I say, 'Deanne, I think we have a good chance of getting you a kidney,'" Winters said.

Winters understands getting his wife will be a difficult process, and said even after he finds his wife a kidney, he'll continue to find donors for others.

"After I get a kidney, I will have my wife back the way she was -- normal, helping people, loving people -- she likes to serve other people," Winters said.


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