Woman Donates Kidney to Her Former English Teacher

Story Published: May 9, 2008 at 11:22 AM EDT

Story Updated: May 9, 2008 at 3:42 PM EDT

ELWOOD, Ind. (AP) - Twenty-two years after graduating from high
school, Angie Collins is now her former English teacher's favorite
student.
Collins, 40, donated her kidney this week to Darren Paquin, who
teaches English at Elwood Community High School, where she
graduated back in 1986.
Collins' husband, Dean, said she offered Paquin one of her
kidneys after she learned that Paquin was experiencing kidney
failure.
"She knew she wanted to do it and she knew she was supposed
to," he said.
Collins, a mother of three, and Paquin underwent the transplant
surgery Tuesday at Methodist Hospital in Indianapolis. Collins is
scheduled to head home on Sunday for Mother's Day.
Collins said she thought and prayed for about two months over
whether she would offer to donate one of her kidneys to Paquin, who
was her high school instructor in speech and composition.
"I wanted to make the decision to donate first, before I ever
found out if I would be a match," she said. "Then, when I made
the decision to donate, I knew I was a match. I knew it in my
heart."

(Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

AP-NY-05-09-08 0439EDT

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