When Will Nunn was first diagnosed with kidney disease in his early 20s, it didn’t feel like a life-altering moment. For years, the condition remained manageable and relatively quiet. Now 40, Nunn can see the slow, subtle toll it took, especially as he moved through his 30s.
“I started noticing my energy drop,” Nunn said. “Then, by my mid-30s, my stomach was swollen, and I couldn’t take deep breaths. I just didn’t feel like myself.”
By last fall, Nunn’s kidney function had taken a serious downturn. He was exhausted all the time, needing an hourlong nap just to care for his kids in the evenings. His world was shrinking under the weight of his illness.
What came next would change everything.
Nunn’s living donor turned out to be someone who knew him intimately – his nephew, Paul.
Years earlier, Paul had moved in with Nunn temporarily. That stay strengthened their already strong family bond so much that Paul eventually bought the house next door. And when he saw his uncle’s health deteriorating, Paul stepped up in the biggest way possible.
“At first, we talked about waiting for a donor to come along,” Nunn said. “But then Paul decided he would get tested, and when he found out he was a match, the doctors asked him why he wanted to do this and he simply told them, ‘I get to keep my uncle around.’ They told him that was the right answer, and we started moving forward with the process.”
On March 16, Nunn received his new kidney and a new chance at life.
Trust and compassion at SSM Health Saint Louis University Hospital
Nunn’s longtime physician at Mercy South recommended he seek transplant care at SSM Health Saint Louis University Hospital, where he was quickly impressed by the expert, compassionate team.
“Dr. Randall, I’ll never forget that man. The morning of my transplant, he came in and said, ‘We’ll get you set.’ Just calm, confident, exactly who you want leading something this big,” Nunn recalled.
Dr. Bastani also stood out, along with all the nurses on 7 South.
“There was Melissa—always thinking ahead, helping me with things I didn’t even know I needed. Jim was there during the worst pain of my nephrectomy and gave me a dad-style pep talk the next morning. Andrew was consistent and kind. Every nurse I had on that floor was amazing.”
Nunn said one of the hardest parts of the transplant journey was letting go of control. “I had to give up my own expectations. Waiting through tests, letting the process unfold, it was tough, but necessary. The team at SLU-H made it so much easier to trust that I was in good hands.”
New breath, new life
Post-surgery, Nunn’s recovery has been steady and life-giving.
“I can take deep breaths again. I’m walking every day, and the brain fog is gone. I feel like I can have real conversations again.”
He is still learning how to live with the changes that come with transplant recovery, but the gains are undeniable. He was able to walk his mother down the aisle at her wedding, attend his son’s high school graduation, and is looking forward to getting back to work.
He’s also writing a book about his experience, hoping to shine light on the unspoken parts of the journey: “I never found anything that described the darkest days, or the unexpected symptoms. I want to give others something I didn’t have, real insight into what this path is really like.”
Gratitude that stays with you
Nunn’s story is one of love, loss, and renewal. His father passed from kidney disease, but his nephew’s selfless gift gave him a second chance and the care he received at SSM Health SLU Hospital made that chance count.
To the team at SSM Health Saint Louis University Hospital, Nunn simply says, “Thank you. You didn’t just take care of me; you gave me my life back.”
