The Town’s Beloved Santa Gave the Ultimate Gift—His Kidney—to a Stranger Who Needed One

In Powhatan, Virginia, Dave Bell is a familiar and beloved figure: the town's Santa Claus, the man who brings the holidays to life for local children every December. This year, though, Bell delivered a present that had nothing to do with toys or a sleigh. He gave away one of his own kidneys—to a complete stranger.

Bell's reasoning was as plainspoken as it was profound. "I have two of these things, and I only need one," he said. "There's somebody who has none and they need one." The recipient was anonymous; Bell would likely never know the details of the life he was changing. That did not matter to him. Someone needed help he was able to give, and so he gave it.

“This year, though, Bell delivered a present that had nothing to do with toys or a sleigh.”

Making the donation possible took real commitment. To qualify as a living donor, Bell lost 40 pounds ahead of the surgery, which was performed at Henrico Doctors' Hospital. Ever the Santa, he wore his Santa hat as he recovered—and he is already planning to regain his familiar Santa physique in time for the coming holiday season, so the children who count on him will not notice a thing.

His transplant surgeon, Dr. Amanda Bailey of the Virginia Transplant Center, said stories like his do something powerful for the cause of organ donation. "Stories like Dave's make organ donation feel real and personal," she said. "They show that donation is possible and that one person can make an enormous difference in someone else's life." For years Bell has handed out Christmas magic to his town. This time he gave away something far greater—a second chance at life—and asked for nothing in return but the knowledge that a stranger would get to keep on living.