TSA officer helps save two lives through organ transplant

    DETROIT (WXYZ) -- A Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport (DTW) Transportation Security Inspector (TSI) jump-started a kidney donor swap process that impacted the lives of two families.

TSI Lindsay Umphrey is familiar with working to save lives as a cargo inspector at the airport. So after seeing her cousin's family struggle as he went through dialysis, it sparked her natural inclination to help.

“I really got to see how strenuous dialysis is and how much it affected his wife and his daughter. We have kids that are the same age so that was probably the biggest tipping point," said Umphrey.

She started donor testing in 2022 and was initially turned away, but she didn't let that stop her. Umphrey got healthier and retested and she and her cousin entered the University of Michigan's Kidney Paired Donation program.

“They put you in a database to, basically, find the perfect match for your family member or friend that you are donating on behalf of so basically I would donate to a complete stranger with the promise that that person’s family member or donor would donate to my cousin,” she explained.

Last fall, they along with two others underwent surgery with their perfect matches, and their lives have changed forever.

"My cousin's health has improved significantly. He’s up to normal levels with a single kidney,” said Umphrey.

She says he's also playing golf and other activities he hadn't been able to in a while.

"From my point of view, I really still feel like I directly helped my cousin because I get to see that right. I don’t know who I donated to. I never met them, but if she is doing as well as he is, that’s amazing to help two families,” said Umphrey.

While she was out of work for eight weeks, Reggie Stephens, Federal Security Director for TSA in the State of Michigan, says she had the full support of her job and so will other employees who make that choice.

“Lindsay’s contribution and her act of kindness and generosity you can’t say enough about here as a human being and we’re just lucky and fortunate to have her,” said Stephens.

Her plan is to continue to be an advocate for organ donation education.

“I don’t want to make an overarching statement that everyone should be an organ donor but I think it’s worth considering if anyone comes across a situation where they either feel drawn to it because of a personal situation or if they don't have a personal situation they just feel that strongly about it,” said Umphrey. "I think they should go ask questions. Go contact your local hospital.