TL;DR
Get self-care and calm essentials delivered free — and shop member deals
- Fast, free delivery on millions of items
- Access to Prime Big Deal Days deals on October 6–7
- Prime Video, Amazon Music and more included
Ray Vetuskey, now a Webster, New York, resident, received a kidney from his mother, Betty, in March 1978, when he was 16. Nearly 48 years later, the transplant is still functioning, and doctors at Strong Hospital say he is the hospital’s longest-surviving kidney transplant recipient.
Ray Vetuskey is celebrating what would have been his mother Betty’s 100th birthday with the kidney she donated to him still functioning nearly 48 years after his transplant. Vetuskey was 16 when surgeons at Strong Hospital in Rochester, New York, transplanted the organ in March 1978; hospital officials say he is the institution’s longest-surviving kidney transplant recipient.
Vetuskey, who lives in Webster, developed kidney problems as a teenager and was placed on dialysis after tests found his kidneys were not working. According to his account in a report by WHEC, dialysis did not restore their function, leaving a transplant as the available option. His mother, Betty, then 52, offered one of her kidneys.
Vetuskey still has a calendar from March 1978 with the transplant date circled, as well as a ticket stub from a Genesis concert he attended after the surgery. He recalled that he and his mother were on hospital gurneys together before the operation. He said she reassured him that he should not worry because she had a concert to attend and did not plan to miss it.
The transplant succeeded, and the kidney remains in use, according to WHEC. Vetuskey now visits Strong Hospital once a year for a check-up. Betty has since died, but her son said he thinks of her every day. He also said he had a star named after her through a national star registry as another way to honor her.
A Transplant That Outlasted Expectations
The case stands out against the typical lifespan cited by the transplant physician who spoke to WHEC. Dr. Miklos Molnar, director of transplant medical services at URochester Medicine, said a living-donor kidney typically lasts 15 to 20 years. Vetuskey’s transplant has continued for nearly 48 years, well beyond that general range. That comparison describes a typical duration, not a prediction for any individual transplant or a guarantee about how long this kidney will continue working.
The story also puts an individual experience alongside a regional need for donated organs. WHEC reported that about 500 people in the region were waiting for a kidney transplant, with hundreds more waiting for other organ transplants. The figures underline why donation decisions matter to patients awaiting treatment, while Vetuskey’s case is one account rather than evidence that every transplant will have the same result.
For Vetuskey, the significance is also personal: the kidney is a lasting link to his mother and to the second chance at life he says she gave him. Molnar told WHEC that the relationship between donor and recipient can have both biological and emotional meaning. In this case, the donor was a parent and the recipient her teenage son.
As an affiliate, we earn on qualifying purchases.
From Dialysis to Surgery in 1978
Vetuskey grew up in the Seabreeze area as the youngest of five children. He recalled having a close relationship with Betty, whom he described as widely loved in their neighborhood. When his health declined during his teens, doctors found that his kidneys were failing and put him on dialysis. The source report does not provide a specific diagnosis or explain what caused the kidney failure.
In March 1978, surgeons at Strong Hospital transplanted Betty’s kidney into her son. WHEC reported that the transplant made Vetuskey the hospital’s longest-surviving kidney transplant recipient, citing Molnar. The report does not give a separate hospital record document or a date for when that status was formally recognized.
Donation information in the report comes from the Finger Lakes Donor Recovery Network. Nancy Ryan of the organization said people older than 16 can register as donors. She said registrants can choose which organs and tissues they wish to donate and can change or withdraw their decision later. WHEC reported that 72% of people locally were registered donors, but did not specify the measurement date or comparison population.
“I don’t think she gave it two thoughts, anything she could do to help her son, I think she would have done anything which she did in my eyes.”
— Ray Vetuskey, recalling his mother’s offer
As an affiliate, we earn on qualifying purchases.
How Long the Kidney Will Function
Doctors quoted in the report believe the kidney could last Vetuskey for the rest of his life, but that is a medical expectation, not a certainty. The report does not provide a specific forecast, test results, or other clinical details about the organ’s current condition beyond saying it remains functional and that Vetuskey has annual check-ups.
The source does not identify the precise cause of Vetuskey’s kidney failure, describe the full post-transplant course, or detail how the hospital verifies its recipient-longevity record. It also gives no date for the local donor-registration figures, so the reported 72% should not be read as a current rate without further information.
As an affiliate, we earn on qualifying purchases.
Annual Checks and Donor Choices
Vetuskey is expected to continue his annual check-ups at Strong Hospital, according to the WHEC report. No further treatment, ceremony, or medical milestone was announced. Whether the kidney will continue to function for the rest of his life remains uncertain, and the physicians’ expectation should not be treated as a confirmed outcome.
The Finger Lakes Donor Recovery Network is encouraging people to consider registering as organ donors. Ryan said eligible people can select which organs and tissues they want to donate and may revise or withdraw their registration. Readers seeking current registration details can consult the network directly; the source report points to it for more information.
As an affiliate, we earn on qualifying purchases.
Key Questions
Who donated the kidney to Ray Vetuskey?
His mother, Betty Vetuskey, donated one of her kidneys when he was 16. She was 52 at the time of the March 1978 transplant.
How long has the transplanted kidney been functioning?
The transplant took place in March 1978. WHEC reported that the kidney was still functioning nearly 48 years later, in 2026.
What makes Vetuskey’s transplant notable?
Strong Hospital officials say Vetuskey is the hospital’s longest-surviving kidney transplant recipient. The physician quoted by WHEC said a living-donor kidney typically lasts 15 to 20 years, though individual outcomes vary.
Can people change their organ-donation decision?
Nancy Ryan of the Finger Lakes Donor Recovery Network said registrants can choose which organs and tissues they want to donate and can modify or withdraw their registration.
Source: hn
Halloween Picks
halloween
As an affiliate, we earn on qualifying purchases.
