Waukesha Man Bikes 70 Miles to Celebrate Kidney Donation

Mike Crowley wanted to shatter a common myth about organ donation, so he hopped on his bicycle and rode 70 miles to prove his point.

The Waukesha resident and National Kidney Foundation of Wisconsin CEO donated his left kidney to a complete stranger just over a year ago. Six months after surgery, he celebrated his "donor-versary" by biking from his home to the Madison hospital where doctors removed his organ.

"When you give the gift of life, it's unlike any other feeling," Crowley said. "It's hard to describe to anybody. You just know it in your heart."

His journey challenges the widespread belief that living with one kidney means living a limited life. Just four weeks after his donation surgery, Crowley was walking two to three miles daily. Today, he's back to all his normal activities without any restrictions.

The timing of his story matters more than ever. Over 1,400 Wisconsin residents are currently waiting for organ transplants, with 85% of them needing kidneys specifically.

Emily Neibauer, a transplant manager at Children's Wisconsin, says the biggest barrier isn't medical risk. It's awareness about living donation and how safe it has become.

Why This Inspires

Crowley isn't just living well after donation. He's become an advocate who shares a lesser-known option that could save lives faster.

The organ donation voucher program lets people donate to a stranger while moving their loved one to the top of the transplant list. If you want to help a friend but aren't a match, you can still give them the ultimate gift by helping someone else first.

Crowley carries four-leaf clovers he's collected over the years to share with people he meets. He's even designed a tattoo incorporating kidneys that he plans to get on his forearm as a permanent reminder of his journey.

The man who received Crowley's kidney lives in Wisconsin too. The two have exchanged letters, and Crowley hopes to meet him face-to-face soon, turning a medical procedure into a lifelong connection.

His message is simple: donation doesn't diminish your life, it expands it.