Gustav Melich was living his dream of working in special effects for films and video games when his life changed forever.
The husband and father of two was diagnosed with kidney cancer last February. After surgeries and treatments, he was finally in remission, but his journey wasn't over.
His kidney function is so low that he's now on dialysis and needs a kidney transplant. His doctors told him to expect to be on dialysis for around five years before being high up enough on the list to receive a transplant.
"You get hooked up on a machine for hours every other day," Melich told ABC11. "Your energy level is super low, and then it's really, really hard to do anything."
He knows not everyone can survive years on dialysis. In fact, 16 people die in the U.S. every day waiting for a kidney.
"I try not to think about it. I try to live my life day by day, because that's the only way to get through it," Melich said. "The thing which keeps me going is that one day I'm going to find my angel."
His angel -- a stranger who he hopes sees his story and decides to donate their kidney to give him a second chance at life.
"I think it would be the greatest day of our lives. We talk about it all the time, and my kids hugged me every day and tell me, like 'Dad. Don't worry. The day is coming'," Melich said.
He also added that even if someone who comes forward to help isn't a match, they can still be the reason he finally gets his transplant.
If someone wants to donate a kidney but isn't a match for the intended recipient, they can still donate through Duke's Kidney Transplant Program.
Their kidney will be given to someone else who needs it, and the intended recipient will also receive a kidney from a matching donor. It's called a paired exchange.
If you're interested in learning more about how to help Melich, click here.
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