A ravine of blocked field goals, one-point victories, and clashing red and blue jerseys separate Penn State fans and players from their Ohio State opponents. But one Buckeyes fan recently reached across the divide with a life-saving act of generosity when she donated her kidney to Penn Stater George Labecki, as reported by Fox 43.

Labecki was diagnosed with stage IV kidney disease in 2017. He was placed on a donor list for a new kidney, but knew it would take a long time to find a potential match. He decided to take matters into his own hands.

Labecki advertised his situation on Facebook in an attempt to speed up the process and eventually found a few potential matches. Everything changed when he received word that Lindsay Wenrich — an alumna of Cedar Cliff High School, where Labecki formerly taught — was a match.

When Wenrich, an Ohio State fan, found out that her kidney was compatible, she knew she had to deliver the news to Labecki with flair. Knowing he was a Penn State fan, Wenrich suited up as the Nittany Lion and revealed her compatibility in a heartfelt way.

The pair is still a couple weeks out from undergoing the donation procedure, but have created a bond that started with Cedar Cliff High School and turned into a friendship.

“I’ll have a scarlet kidney but a heart that beats blue and white,” Labecki told Fox 43.

About the Author

Matt DiSanto

Matt proudly served as Onward State’s managing editor for two years until graduating from Penn State in May 2022. Now, he’s off in the real world doing real things. Send him an email (mattdisanto86@gmail.com) or follow him on Twitter (@mattdisanto_) to stay in touch.

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