Imagine meeting the person who would later save your life but you didn’t know it yet. That’s what happened with two strangers at an Erie County gas station.

Both Frankie Morales, who is an army veteran, and Kelly Markiewicz, who had been diagnosed with PKD, went to wash their cars one day.

Frankie noticed a sign on the back of Kelly’s vehicle that stated that she was in need of a kidney. After a short conversation Frankie, decided later that day he would sign up to be a donor.

One year later on Sept. 11, Frankie was called into surgery and found out they were a perfect match.

“I feel amazing and just knowing I have more time with my family, that’s priceless to me,” said Kelly Markiewicz, received kidney.

“I really believe that everything happens for a reason and had i stayed on a different path in my past i never would have met kelly,” said Frankie Morales, kidney donor.

On the day of the surgery Frankie missed the Gary Sinise concert and Sinise surprised him with a video thanking him for his service.

To learn more about becoming an organ donor, checkout the UPMC Hamot website here.