Reprinted with permission from the Spartanburg Herald-Journal

Fathers across the country unwrapped power tools and other gadgets while celebrating Father's Day, but Jackie Tyner received a gift that's extending his life and makes him very proud.

Tyner's daughter Allie, 21, donated one of her kidneys to him in May.

"I just feel like the luckiest guy in the world," Tyner said.

Tyner was diagnosed with a rare form of kidney disease and received a kidney from his father, Jack Tyner, almost 24 years ago. Kidney transplants typically last 10 years or less, but Tyner's was good for 21 years before he needed a replacement.

His brother and sister attempted to donate, but they weren't good matches. It took a year for him to get on a list to receive a kidney, and he'd probably still be waiting if it weren't for Allie.

According to LifePoint, an organization providing organ and tissue donations in the state, 672 South Carolinians are on a waiting list for a kidney. Mark Johnson, spokesman for LifePoint, said 18 people a day die in the United States while waiting for organ donations because there aren't enough donors.

It was difficult enough to ask a sibling to donate a kidney, and Tyner would have never considered asking his three children. Allie, his eldest child, said she felt kind of left out because she was never asked to donate, but she wanted to see her dad's quality of life improve.

Tyner underwent dialysis three days a week for more than two years. If he wasn't hooked to a dialysis machine, he was probably in bed. He couldn't enjoy vacations with his kids and had to stop coaching his son's youth baseball team.

"I wanted him to have a life," Allie said.

So, she decided to get tested in December. She casually mentioned to her dad that she would donate, but they didn't seriously talk about it.

"I didn't want him to be disappointed with me having all of these tests and it not being a match," said Allie, who underwent several tests, including one at the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston, before it was determined she was a match.

Allie said most of the donor process involved having blood drawn, but she also met with a psychiatrist and surgeons. An ultrasound was performed, as well as an electrocardiogram and CAT scan.

"I experienced everything I could possibly experience in a hospital," Allie said.

She remembers telling the psychiatrist, "I'd rather have a dad than two kidneys."

She was deemed a match around her 21st birthday, but her dad was reluctant to accept the kidney.

"He had to convince himself that he wouldn't be interfering with her life," said his dad, Jack Tyner.

Tyner talked to his dad, minister, friends and medical professionals before deciding it would be OK for him to accept the kidney. It was much more difficult than when his dad offered a kidney.

"With my dad, I didn't have a choice," Jackie Tyner said of his outspoken father, Jack. "He was going to do it, even if he had to tie me down."

He decided to accept the kidney and is still getting comfortable with the decision.

"I'm given another opportunity," Tyner said. "It's almost like the nine lives of a cat. I'm on number three. Sometimes I feel a little selfish because if something happens to my dad or daughter, that'd be hard to deal with."

The family remembers reading a newspaper article last year about a young woman who donated a kidney to her father. They arranged a meeting with the woman, Jessica Hollifield, to discuss what she went through. Her dad wanted Allie to hear about the process from someone who had been through it.

The Tyners' transplant took place at MUSC. Allie Tyner's surgery lasted a little more than three hours, and she was released after a couple of days. Jackie Tyner stayed at the hospital for a week to recover.

The Tyners hope to inspire others to donate organs. Jack Tyner is 80 and proud to say he's healthy and still working in the family's business, Regal Distributing Co., after donating a kidney when he was 56. Allie is a cheerleader at the University of South Carolina Upstate, and she's expected to return to the squad this fall. Some of the myths surrounding organ donation include stories of people being too old or their quality of life declining.

"I would certainly encourage anyone to do it because I've seen the effects two times in my life," said Jack Tyner, after noting how his son's hair has more shine and his skin has more color.

Jackie Tyner said it's been rewarding to see his daughter come to his aid and show that all young adults aren't selfish. His 14-year-old son, Jake, has already said he'll donate a kidney if Tyner needs another one in the future.

Tyner said he has more energy since his transplant, and he doesn't have to go to dialysis.

"My dad did it out of love and care, and my daughter is doing the same thing this time," Tyner said. "This is the circle of life."