Wrigley Sign Spurs White Sox Fan To Donate Kidney, Advocate Christ Medical Center Recipient Reunites With Donor

Chicago Fan’s Wrigley Sign Leads To Cross-Town kidney transplant Reunion

USA: A homemade sign at Wrigley Field that asked fellow fans for help set in motion a chain that ended with a life-saving kidney transplant and a reunion on the mound. Bridget Coles, once in need of a new kidney after kidney disease and lupus eroded her function, was matched with a donor she met because her plea went viral.

Six years earlier, the then-23-year-old brought the appeal to a Cubs game, and social media amplified the image until it reached Thomas Alessio, a Chicagoan and devoted White Sox fan. Despite the teams’ rivalry, Alessio contacted Coles and connected with her transplant team at Advocate Christ Medical Center. Testing confirmed compatibility and the transplant operation on July 8, 2020, restored Coles’ health.

The procedure transformed Coles’ life and career path. Now a nursing assistant training to be a nurse at Advocate Christ Medical Center, she returned to Wrigley Field for a special evening, throwing out the first pitch and publicly reuniting with her donor. Alessio has described helping as a moral obligation, saying he could not ignore the opportunity to save a life.

The episode highlights how transplantation can bridge communities and how a single public plea can mobilize strangers into donors and advocates. Hospitals, transplant teams, and fans converged to turn a ballpark sign into a successful kidney transplant and an ongoing story of recovery, gratitude, and the power of organ donation.

Video originally published on 2026-05-06 23:24:43