Philadelphia Phillies

‘It's changed everything:' Northeast Philly man meets his kidney donor at Phillies game

Joe DeMayo of Northeast Philadelphia had the opportunity to meet his kidney donor during Thursday's Phillies game at Citizens Bank Park

NBC Universal, Inc.

A special bond was forged between two complete strangers at Citizens Bank Park during Thursday night's Phillies game.

Marybeth Foster from Crofton, Maryland, donated her kidney to Joe DeMayo in January after she was dealing with a medical condition that required it be removed.

However, doctors were able to give the kidney to DeMayo, a Northeast Philadelphia father who was suffering from dialysis.

On Thursday, they met for the first time during the ceremonial first pitch prior to the game.

"It's mind-blowing sort of," DeMayo, a diehard Phillies fan, told NBC10. "I didn't know she was coming, and it's just surreal."

This was DeMayo's second kidney transplant with the most recent one bringing back new life for him and his children.

"Just being able to play with my son in the backyard," DeMayo said. "Dialysis can be really tiring and and you know you get home and he wants to play, he's five. He's unending energy."

DeMayo said he thanked Foster multiple times before and during the game and doesn't think it's possible for him to thank her enough.

"It's just amazing that someone is walking around with a part of me because if I didn't do what I did I couldn't have saved me but also I couldn't have saved another soul," Foster said. "There's so many people out there that need us."

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