Silver Cliff Mountain Inn owner celebrates miraculous journey to kidney transplant
SILVER CLIFF, Colo. (KRDO) -- A newly-released feature by UCHealth is highlighting the miraculous journey of a local motel and restaurant owner as he sought a new kidney.
UCHealth says Willie Quinney's medical story actually began back in 1998 on a solemn note. It was then that he was diagnosed with early-stage kidney disease. Quinney was told that, eventually, he would need a new kidney.
It wasn't until 2023 that the prediction proved to be correct. Quinney, who was running things at the Silver Cliff Mountain Inn, told doctors that he began to notice that his hands and legs were becoming swollen.
Three times a week, Quinney traveled to UCHealth's location in Colorado Springs for dialysis. In the meantime, his family embarked on a mission to find him a kidney donor.
The hospital system says his daughter started a Facebook page dubbed "We're Team Willie." Several people stepped up, hoping they would be deemed a match to donate their kidney to Willie. But slowly but surely, all were medically eliminated from being viable donors.
That is, until Loree Lund came along. UCHealth says she decided to start the arguably daunting process of tests to see if she would be a match. But the long road ahead proved worth it in the end, a million times over.
Doctors eventually determined that Lund was a match.
UCHealth says her donation was life-saving. The transplant moved forward in February. Quinney has since returned back to work at his restaurant. Sometimes, Lund comes in herself to say hi and enjoy a cup of joe.
“There are no words for it,” Quinney said. “Absolutely no words for it. Every time I see her, I have to hug her. And I tell her, ‘You are never paying for another meal as long as I have this restaurant.’”
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