GREENVILLE, Mich. — If you don't already believe in fate, you might after reading this story.
Landing in rare territory has become common for Veronica Seaman and Mandi McMeeken.
The two formed a friendship that might tear most people apart.
“We are a lot alike," Seaman said. "I mean, it says something we both loved the same man at one point. I mean, not at the same time, but we both loved the same man.”
Seaman, who lives in Six Lakes Township, married McMeeken's ex-boyfriend and became the step-mother of their child.
“I've been in his life since he was about 13 months old," Seaman said. "We've known each other the whole entire time.”
Eighteen years later, and they still get along, growing even closer in 2022.
Seaman's husband, who long-suffered from addiction, succumbed to his battle and took his own life.
"When I lost my husband, Mandi became pretty much my rock for a while because she knew she knew what I was feeling, or what I was going through, because she had loved that same person," Seaman said.
At the end of last year, Seaman entered her own battle, getting diagnosed with Stage 4 Chronic Kidney Disease. That's the final stage before failure, so Seaman began her search for a donor.
“When she told me that she needed a kidney, I didn't even think twice," said McMeeken, who lives in Greenville. "I just immediately looked at the steps on how do I help her.”
McMeeken started the process to see if she would be a fit. However, the more time that passed, the worse Seaman felt.
"I was exhausted non-stop," she said. "There were days I could sleep 12 hours and still be tired. There were a lot of, you know, Ramen noodle nights because I just couldn't, I didn't have the strength to cook.”
Seaman added, "Unfortunately, in October, I almost didn't make it. I was extremely ill. I was hospitalized.”
Around that time, McMeeken received the news — her kidney was a near-perfect match.
“I thought about it for days, and then I just thought, I've never lived my life wondering the 'What if's?' So I didn't know why I would start now. So then, I just, I decided that I was going to do it. Then it took me another two weeks to figure out how the right way to do it.”
McMeeken finally figured it out last Wednesday, surprising Seaman with family, friends and a sign.
“The sign said that 'I'd rather lose a kidney than lose my friend,'” McMeeken explained.
"There's no words," Seaman said. "There's absolutely no words that say, 'I'm thankful.' There isn’t.”
Seaman continued, "for her to be a match was just, you know, you get that feeling of, 'Oh, she got tested, that's really awesome.' But then, in the back of your mind, you never think that, you know, the child that essentially you helped raise would end up — if it wasn't for knowing him, you wouldn't know her, and she's saving your life."
The transplant is scheduled at Trinity Health Grand Rapids in January.
Seaman and McMeeken never knew that day would come, but never is a word that has no place in their friendship.
“You can't be grateful enough," Seaman said. "I have six amazing kids and 12 grandkids that want me to be here and I want to watch them grow up. So this means everything to me.”
See what I mean when I bring up the word 'fate'?
Seaman said she wishes there were more people like McMeeken out there, and maybe there can be.
There's a lot to learn from this story, but what they both want people to take away is the importance of getting checked to see if you're a kidney donor match.
You can find out and learn more through Trinity Health's Kidney Donor Program by clicking this link.