Craigslist Ad Mistake Sparks NJ Man To Donate Kidney

BERLIN, N.J. (CBSNewYork) -- Glenn Calderbank, of Berlin, was searching the construction section on Craigslist for supplies when he came across his true calling.

I was looking on Craigslist and I just happened to come across an ad that struck my eye," Calderbank said. "Somebody was asking for a kidney for their wife."

The listing struck a chord with Calderbank, who lost his wife, Jessica, to kidney failure four years ago. Calderbank is now donating his kidney to the woman, in a twist of events he believes was meant to be.

"I was meant to see that," Calderbank said. "I believe that Jessica somehow -- or karma -- whatever it is. Put that in the wrong spot because that's the only place I go on the computer anyways."

Calderbank said he emailed the couple and shared his story.

"We were desperate for a kidney," Calderbank said of his experience. "And I had put an ad in the paper offering mine to somebody who would give her theirs."

Jessica ended up receiving a kidney transplant from a cadaver, but her body rejected the organs and she died a few months later.

Calderbank said over several conversations with the soon-to-be recipient of his kidney, he told her it was simply meant to be.

"I said 'look -- I know I'm a match.' She said 'how do you know that?'" Calderbank said. "I said there's no way that I saw your ad by accident."

The woman receiving Calderbank's kidney had been on a waiting list for more than a year. The surgery is scheduled for next month.