Belmont Camilli, the 28-year-old star of Off Campus, once donated his kidney to a stranger in hopes of helping his childhood friend Brendan Flaherty, who was suffering from kidney failure and dependent on dialysis.
This generosity set off a chain of events that ultimately ended up saving the lives of seven people.According to a report in the Daily Mail, Camilli was not a direct match with Flaherty, meaning he could not donate to him directly. Instead, he became part of a 14-person organ donation chain, entering first so that his donation could eventually facilitate a match with his friend in the future.
How Belmont Camille College Donated
The chain continued until Flaherty received a kidney from someone he had never met, with seven patients in total receiving life-saving donations through the complex but ultimately successful kidney matching program.
It was a process that required patience, coordination, and a desire to help complete strangers.Cameli shared his thoughts during his hospital stay in 2018 in an Instagram post which has since resurfaced and captured the attention of fans.“I have been blessed with the opportunity and privilege to save a life,” he wrote. “The fact of the matter is that most of us have two good kidneys, but thousands of people struggle to live day after day with only one failing kidney.
Every day 20 people die waiting for a kidney transplant. It takes patients an average of 3.5 years on the waiting list before a transplant, and that’s only if they’re very lucky.He continued, “Thankfully, after 6 years of painstaking waiting and anticipation, Brendan has been given the organ he has been waiting for so long, and my new friend Clotilde will finally have a healthy kidney and a new start in life. I am so grateful to have been part of this 14-person swap program and blessed 7 patients with new organs and a brighter future.”
Current Belmont Camille project
Cameli currently stars in the series Off Campus, which is now streaming on Amazon Prime Video and has already been renewed for a second season. The story of his kidney donation has resurfaced alongside his rising fame, highlighting a remarkable act of kindness that occurred long before his name became widely known.
