A 13-year-old's kidney was failing. Then a stranger stepped in.

HealthWatch A 13-year-old's kidney was failing, then a stranger stepped in: "I don't think there was a dry eye in the room" .chip { background-image: url('/fly/bundles/cbsnewscore/images/chip-bgd/chip-bgd-healthwatch.jpg'); } By Kerry Breen Kerry Breen News Editor Kerry Breen is a news editor at CBSNews.com. A graduate of New York University's Arthur L. Carter School of Journalism, she previously worked at NBC News' TODAY Digital. She covers current events, breaking news and issues including substance use. Read Full Bio Kerry Breen April 25, 2026 / 8:00 AM EDT / CBS News Add CBS News on Google When Elias Manolis started experiencing extreme fatigue early last year, his parents were alarmed, but not surprised. The 13-year-old from Long Island, New York, had been born with ureterovesical junction obstruction, a rare congenital disease, where a blockage between the ureter and bladder causes urine to back up into the kidney. The condition can cause pain, infections and fevers. Rita Manolis said her son struggled with "a lot of infections, a lot of hospital visits, lots of surgeries" over the years. His symptoms led to limits on his diet and physical activity. As he grew, he often missed school and couldn't see his friends often. But still, the level of fatigue he reached in February 2025 was unusual. "He didn't have the energy to do things normal kids would do, like getting up to go to school," Rita Manolis said. "Staying in school all day would be a mission for him. He'd come home just completely drained."  Elias Manolis in the hospital. Rita Manolis Elias' doctors recommended a kidney transplant. But there are far more people in need than there are organs available, according to the American Kidney Fund. Rita Manolis was told her son might need to wait up to two years for an organ. She and her husband wanted to avoid the delay, and started their own donor search. They shared Elias' story on social media, worked with outreach organizations...