WOODLAND, Mich.-- A father in Barry County received a big Christmas present a few days early. After six years of waiting for a kidney he finally got it with the help of his kids.
Cris Male's daughter asked Santa for a Paw Patrol and a new kidney for her dad. His son asked his whole class to pray for his father to get a new kidney. Less than a day later, Cris got a call he's been waiting nearly six years for.
In the Male family household there's plenty of presents waiting patiently under the Christmas tree, but the best gift has already arrived.
"It's the best present," said Male. "We don't want anything else for Christmas. We're good."
Born with polycystic kidney disease, Male made the decision to start dialysis six years ago. He's been on the donation waiting list ever since.
"It's a hard road," said Male. "A really hard road."
His 8-year-old son, Malachi, asked his whole class a favor.
"I wished for my whole entire class to pray for my dad to get a kidney and my teachers too," said Malachi. "I want my dad to recover goodly."
Male's 4-year-old daughter, Gracie, turned to Santa for help.
"I'm happy for my dad that he got the kidney," said Gracie.
The next morning after Malachi asked his class to pray and Gracie met with Santa, Male got a call that a kidney was ready for transplant at Saint Mary's in Grand Rapids. It's an early Christmas miracle that couldn't be possible without the help of his kids, Male says.
"To think like that for their dad, that just gives me so much love and respect for them" said Male. "I must be doing something right. It gives us hope because that's all we had to live on for a long time. Miracles come true, they really do."
Because Male has been on dialysis three times a week for the past six years, the family hasn't been able to take any vacations. Now that Male has received the new kidney, the family is planning their first trip to Disney World.
