SYRACUSE, N.Y. — It was a once-in-a-lifetime meeting that most will never experience.

The kidney donor-recipient gathering was held at Upstate University Hospital in Syracuse Monday. 

Jacqueline Roorda of Lafayette and Deb Schmidt of Watkins Glen each donated one of their kidneys to those in need.

After Roorda donated her kidney to Schmidt's husband Gary, Deb decided to pay it forward by donating one of her kidneys to Hogansburg resident Jamaica Johnson, who was waiting for a new kidney for 24 years.

And after seeing her husband cope with dialysis treatment three days per week, Deb says it was only fitting to help somebody else out. 

"If I could help somebody else get away from all of that and get back to life, i just wanted to do it from my heart. it just meant a lot," Deb said.

Two surgeons helped successfully performed the transplants on September 19th.