CHERRY RIDGE TOWNSHIP -- After more than two decades, two young men met in our area on Thursday. They share the same organ after a miraculous medical swap.
They had a split liver transplant in 1994 and met face to face in Wayne County.
Steven Nuss and Diego Garcia grew up on different continents, but because of what they share, standing on common ground has been a long time coming.
"It's different. I don't even know how to put it into words right now. It's just kind of a little overwhelming feeling," Nuss said.
Newswatch 16 first met Steven Nuss of Wayne County 21 years ago. Steven was 11-months-old and recovering from a then unprecedented surgery. Doctors split a donated liver in half and transplanted the pieces in Steven and in Diego Garcia, a four-year-old boy from Bolivia.
"Over Christmas I was looking through my baby book and I told my mom, I was like, 'I want to meet him,'" Steven said.
Diego also wanted to meet. Now 26-years-old, he planned a visit to the United States to see their surgeon and also hopefully meet Steven.
Diego found Steven on Facebook and sent a message.
They both hope their meeting Thursday will be the beginning of a friendship more than 20 years in the making.
"God didn't give me a brother, but he gave me a liver brother, a little liver brother," Diego said.
His "little liver brother" is what Diego has called Steven all this time even though distance kept that brotherhood from growing.
They said their meeting Thursday had another overwhelming presence, that of the 36-year-old woman whose liver has grown in both men.
"Me and my family are very grateful with her and her family, because without her and her liver we wouldn't be here," Diego added.
Both Steven and Diego said they have not had any complications since their surgery in 1994 and they live normal healthy lives today.
