Army veteran donates kidney to mother, saves her life

When a local mom needed a kidney transplant, her Army veteran son did not hesitate to donate and save her life.

There are over 100,000 patients every year waiting for kidney transplants, and less than 20 percent of them will actually get a donor.

Living with kidney disease for more than eight years, Lucia Zubia was afraid dying while waiting for a donor would be her fate.

"It's sad when you see your friends that you make at dialysis pass away, you know?" she said.

Lucia didn't have to wait very long. Her son, Emanuel, who had already served in Afghanistan, didn't hesitate to do something heroic again.

"For my mom, I'd do anything. I'd die for her," he said.

For Lucia, it was a tough decision

"I was hoping that we were not a much, you know, because as a mother you don't want your son to go through this," Lucia said.

For Emanuel it was the only decision.