This Man Gave His Wife A Kidney Right Before Their 23rd Anniversary & No, You’re Crying

I'm a fan of celebrating anniversaries in an extravagant way — when I first started dating my partner, I got him a gift once we'd reached one month of dating, which admittedly isn't much of a milestone. Still, I get seriously excessive once our wedding anniversary rolls around. But one man has definitely won the anniversary game: A Florida man donated a kidney to his wife right before their 23rd wedding anniversary, and it's pretty much the coolest thing that's happened this year. The couple held a press conference to talk about the kidney transplant process. Monica Calle was diagnosed with polycystic kidney disease a decade ago, and she had peritoneal dialysis treatments to help treat the condition. "I'd go to work, come home, cook dinner, take care of the kids and then hook myself up," she said during the press conference about the transplant. Last year, doctors realized that her husband, Cesar, was a match for a transplant.

"After 23 years, we're still a match," Monica says in an unbearably sweet video released by Memorial Solid Organ Transplant Institute, where the surgery took place, and where Monica also works. The video also includes actual footage of the surgery happening, and it's actually really cool to watch (if you're not super squeamish). A team of surgeons removed Cesar's left kidney and transplanted it to Monica. Four days later, Monica was released from the hospital. “This is an amazing, amazing gift,” she says in the video. “God put this man in my life for a reason. He saved my life." Finding a non-relative who's a match for a kidney transplant is exceedingly rare — according to Dr. Juan Arenas, chief of Memorial Solid Organ Transplant Institute, most matches are between children and their parents or siblings. "To find a perfect match between spouses is very unusual," he says during the press conference.

If you're feeling emotional after watching that video, I'm right there with you. I also don't blame you if you're thinking, "This man donated a kidney, and I can't even get a text back." This couple does set the bar pretty high, especially because Cesar is still so excited that he was able to help his wife. "I just mentioned to her that I would like to donate my kidney not knowing that I would be capable of doing so," he says during a press conference about the successful procedure. "My prayers were answered. This is something I've wanted to do since she started dialysis."

And Monica has a totally romantic outlook about the transplant in the long term, which makes things even sweeter. "The day that I leave this earth, I'm going to leave with a piece of him inside of me," she says during the Memorial Healthcare press conference. "Whether I get buried or cremated, whatever the case may be, there's always going to be a piece of him inside of me. I feel like we're going to be connected not only in this life, but in the afterlife, too."

Not only is this story perfect for all of us who love fairytales, but it's also raising awareness about Monica's condition and the need for kidney donor databases. Donating a kidney does have some complications. According to the National Kidney Foundation, it can increase your risk of kidney failure, and you may be at a higher risk for high blood pressure with only one kidney. Still, Cesar will be able to live a relatively normal life, and he and Monica now have so much less to worry about, thanks to his decision. If you want to find out more about joining the kidney donation registry, check out the National Kidney Registry.