Wiltshire man donates kidney to woman he met after crash

Two people who met under tragic circumstances are united for a life-saving kidney transplant.

Tim Swinburne, from Melksham in Wiltshire, met Claire Brixey from Standerwick in Somerset in 2004 when he had to knock on her door to explain that her 20-year-old son Ashley had died in a car accident.

At the time, Ms Brixey was already suffering from kidney failure and required dialysis. The couple kept in touch and when Swinburne learned that her previous transplant had failed, he offered her his kidney.

“Giving life is just a human thing to me,” he said. “Anyone with a heart would give anything to keep someone else alive.”

The successful transplant at Southmead Hospital in Bristol in October took four hours.

Both parties recovered well, Mr Swinburne returned to work and Mrs Brixey went horse riding for the first time in many years.

Both are now planning to raise funds for transplant-related charities.

Ms Brixey described Mr Swinburne as a “million-dollar man” after his transplant.

He now works as a helper at the Salvation Army's Swindon Booth House after retiring from Wiltshire Police in 2007.

She said: “He was my family liaison officer; the man who knocked on my door and told me that my son had died in a traffic accident.

“He was such a compassionate person, very easy to talk to and supportive of our family.

“It seems like we just grew together and have been friends for 21 years.

“He was there to support me and I was there to support him. When my first kidney transplant started to fail, he told me, “You’re going to get one of mine, and I won’t take no for an answer.”

Mr Swinburne added: “Claire is one of those special people, we joked over the years that we were like siblings.

“She's an amazing friend. I have had ups and downs in my life and she has been there for me and vice versa.

“[When I offered the transplant] she kept saying, “Are you sure?” even though I knew she would do the same for me.

“I didn't have any questions. Knowing she's riding a horse again, seeing her there with her granddaughter and daughter, that's the reason I did it.”