After nearly four years of waiting for a matching donor, Madison-Ridgeland Academy head football coach Herbert Davis is finally getting a new kidney.
The private school outside of Jackson announced in an email that Davis, who has been battling stage 5 kidney disease since January 2020, is scheduled to undergo a transplant swap at the University of Mississippi Medical Center on Monday.
“We would like to share some exciting news regarding Coach Herbert Davis and his search for a kidney donor,” the weekly newsletter reads. “Through the Lord’s great providence and mercy, a donor match has been established! A donor straight from our MRA family – Leah Cox.”
Cox, who is an MRA parent, was the missing piece to a six-person organ swap that will ultimately give Davis a new kidney. According to the email, the donor swap will be the largest at not only UMMC but in Mississippi history.
“It turns out that she was compatible for an organ swap that will actually help six recipients receive their kidney over the next few days, including Coach Davis,” the email continued. “We would ask for you to be in prayer for Herbert and Leah today and the days to come as they go through recovery.”
Davis, a five-time state champion with titles at MRA, Brookhaven Academy, and Pillow Academy, went to social media to show his gratitude for the long-awaited transplant.
Well, along this journey of kidney disease, so MANY PRAYERS have been felt. Monday I’m being blessed with a kidney!! I say this to say..please pray that everything goes well for me and my donor!! God is GOOD!! Keep praying 🙏🏼🙏🏼
— Coach Herbert Davis (@CoachHerbertDa1) December 10, 2023
Davis missed the Patriots’ first two games of the season in 2023 following a kidney infection. He was then readmitted going into the team’s fourth game before returning to the sidelines in week five and finishing out the year with his team.
