Former Fayette superintendent searched months for kidney donor. His match was in the family
Former Fayette County Superintendent Stu Silberman spent months searching for a kidney donor as his rare disease had gotten progressively more complicated.
On Friday morning, Silberman told the Herald-Leader in a text that this week his daughter, Traci Silberman Bass, donated a kidney to him.
“The transplant took place at the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota on November 15,” said Silberman, who talked to several news outlets in May about his search and launched a social media campaign called “A kidney for Stu.”
“After the media coverage there were a ton of people who stepped up to be tested and as it turned out, my daughter Traci from Chattanooga turned out to be the best match,” Silberman said Friday. “The surgery was a success and the new kidney started working right away. We will be discharged from the hospital today or tomorrow.”
Silberman was diagnosed with a rare kidney disease back in 2013. Without a transplant, he faced dialysis.
“When a person becomes a kidney donor they truly give the gift of life. For me, my quality of life improved 100% in 1 day,” Silberman said. “My daughters and grandkids could not believe the positive change. I am hoping and praying for many more years with family and friends. I am also so thankful to all the doctors and nurses at Mayo for the excellent care.”
In a Thursday Facebook post, Silberman’s brother Jack Silberman offered thanks to the network of people who rallied behind the family in prayer.
“Thank you, from the depths of our hearts, for standing with us during this challenging time. Your kindness has been a beacon of hope, and we are forever grateful for the love that surrounds us,” Jack Silberman said.
For 41 years, Silberman was a teacher, coach, principal, superintendent and advocate in Kentucky. Silberman was the Fayette County superintendent from 2004 to 2011. Before that, he was superintendent for Daviess County Schools.
Silberman was named Kentucky Superintendent of the Year multiple times, according to the Kentucky Association of School Administrators. He also served as executive director of the Prichard Committee for Academic Excellence.
After his diagnosis, he worked two more years, then retired as his kidney function started to quickly decline.
