21 years after his first kidney transplant, Joshua Anderson needed a second kidney transplant. A match was miraculously found, but little did Joshua and his loved ones know that this promising turn of events would propel them into an unforeseen rollercoaster of life-altering proportions. The initial surgery took an unexpected turn, thrusting Joshua into an intense struggle for his life on the operating table.

The Andersons are a fun family of seven who call a farm in South Alabama home. Joshua and Madalyn lead a bustling life alongside their five beautiful children (16, 13, 12, 11, and 6) and the ever-loyal Reba, their cherished dog. Juggling full-time jobs, from Madalyn's role in accounting to Joshua's position as a CBM specialist at Alabama Power's Barry Steam Plant, the Andersons also find time for a myriad of their kids' activities, from softball to rodeo. Joshua is also the newly elected President of the Berry chapter of the Alabama Power Service Organization, one of the largest APSO chapters.

Recently settling into their dream home on 75 acres, dubbed Flat Creek Cattle Co., the Andersons are passionate about cattle farming and hay cultivation. However, their story takes a compelling turn when it comes to Joshua's health. Born with Alport Syndrome, Joshua faced a kidney transplant in high school after collapsing on the football field. His first transplant lasted an impressive 21 years. However, a bout with COVID triggered the need for a new transplant.

The turning point came following a Thanksgiving week hunting trip to Texas. The day after he returned, a family friend, Randy, called Joshua about a potential kidney match from Joel, who tragically lost his son, Jonah. Despite Joshua's O- blood type making finding a donor challenging, fate smiled upon them. A call from UAB confirmed a potential match, setting off a whirlwind journey to Birmingham.

Randy called Tuesday evening, but Joshua knew the odds were not high on a match. UAB called later that night.

"We may have a match for you. Prepare to come to Birmingham tomorrow."

Madalyn and Joshua anxiously awaited the call. Joshua got very impatient and called UAB to ask if Jonah had O-type blood. He did.

At 10 AM the next day, they received THE call.

"We have a match. Can you be here by 5 pm?"

Joshua yelled, "Shoot yeah!"

The couple frantically packed and got their kids settled, then hit the road for Birmingham. UAB wanted to do the transplant first thing in the morning.

Amid the excitement of potential transplant success, the couple faced an unexpected twist. The initial surgery encountered complications, leading to Joshua's cardiac arrest. The team worked for 2 minutes, performing chest compressions and shocking his heart, to save Joshua on the operating table.

Joshua woke up in the ICU with a tube down his throat and his hands strapped to the bed - not how he should have woken up.

Rewind a few hours on Friday, November 24th. Joshua had gone back to surgery at 7 am. Around 10:30 am, she received a call that the surgeon wanted to come speak with her.

"He's okay, but he went into cardiac arrest."

Madalyn, alone, hours from home, was just jolted into a whirlwind of scary, unexpected news. They had to run some tests on Joshua's heart to see what could have caused this and to see if would even be possible to attempt the transplant again. If everything was cleared, they would try again at 5 pm. However, they only had until 5 pm for the kidney. At 5 pm, it would be 30 hours since the kidney was removed for transplant. Any longer, and the kidney would not be viable for transplant.

They had to wake Joshua up, as he could not remain sedated between the transplant attempts. Madalyn attempted to explain to Joshua what happened. They waited.

At 4 pm, his heart was cleared for surgery, and they attempted the transplant again. At 9:15 pm it was deemed successful.

They were in the hospital from Wednesday to Wednesday, finally discharged to a hotel. However, they quickly learned a hotel was not accommodating for a patient post-transplant. Through some mutual connections with a co-worker, they learned about Red Mountain Grace. We were able to get them into an apartment.

Closer to the hospital, spacious, and accommodating, the apartment played a pivotal role in their recovery journey. No other hospitality house in Birmingham allows children and siblings to stay with their families, but we truly keep families together at Red Mountain Grace. Their children were able to visit and stay, especially important for their youngest who celebrated her 6th birthday during Joshua's transplant recovery in Birmingham.

After three weeks, the Andersons returned to their family farm, grateful for the miracle of a successful transplant. Joshua's new kidney is thriving, and while the cause of his cardiac arrest remains a mystery, he is wearing a heart monitor, and the family is focusing on the blessings of the present. As they reflect on their journey, the Andersons stand united, a testament to the power of family, resilience, and the gift of a second chance at life.