Transplant recipient celebrates Father's Day with family virtually

The coronavirus pandemic saw people around the country celebrating Father's Day a little differently this year. In the Bronx, one tight-knit family had a little extra to be thankful for.

News 12 Staff

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Jun 21, 2020, 10:30 PM

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Updated 1,413 days ago

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The coronavirus pandemic saw people around the country celebrating Father's Day a little differently this year. In the Bronx, one tight-knit family had a little extra to be thankful for.

Victor Sanchez, 53, has been a DJ for more than three decades. He's also a cancer survivor. He developed kidney problems in the late 90s, leading to a transplant in 2006.

On Sunday, his wife, four children and one of his grandkids came together to celebrate him virtually on Zoom, as coronavirus social distancing kept them apart.

Sanchez might not have been there to celebrate with his loved ones if it wasn't for a kidney donation from 18-year-old David Grass.

Grass was killed by a drunk driver after a graduation party. It happened at the same time that Sanchez's sons were the same age, and also graduating.

"On one hand, I'm celebrating and I'm real happy that I'm here with my family, and then there's the other side where I think about the Grass family," says Sanchez.

Sanchez's family says they'd love nothing more than to hug him, but they know it has to wait amid the pandemic.

As the 14-year anniversary of his transplant approaches next weekend, Sanchez has a message: "Organ donation does work. It does save lives."

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