The bond between brothers is often spoken of, but rarely could you find it exemplified more than in the story of Hahnville’s Alexander and Jordan Hamilton – one of love and sacrifice.
“I can say I owe him my life,” Alexander said.
In April of last year, Alexander was diagnosed with focal segmental glomerulosclerosis, or scar tissue in the filtering unit of the kidney. It causes harmful substances that the kidney would ordinarily filter out to enter into the bloodstream. What causes the disease is often unknown.
Alexander said he didn’t feel any specific symptoms or weakness, but his condition was revealed after taking a physical for work.
“I saw I had high blood pressure, but I didn’t think it was anything out of the ordinary,” he said. “They did. They said those numbers were through the roof. Later that day, my doctor told me I needed to go to the emergency room.”
He was there for two days before learning of his diagnosis — and then what his recovery would entail. Hamilton eventually went on dialysis, and then was told he would need a kidney transplant.
“They told him, ‘You’re getting worse,’” said Hamilton’s mother, Giovanni Hamilton. “Our family members started calling because they wanted to help. Even my 86-year-old mother … she wanted to be put on the list (to donate her kidney).
“The way it is, to find a match, you might be on that list for four or five years. You just don’t know.”
It didn’t take that long, thankfully, as the Hamiltons learned there was a match amongst them: Jordan was verified as a match and prospective donor, and after blood work showed he didn’t carry the same gene that caused his brother’s affliction, he had a choice to make.
Jordan said it didn’t take much consideration at all. “As soon as I found out, just wanted to give him my kidney,” Jordan said. “He’s my brother. It’s the right thing to do and it just came natural.”
Both brothers say nerves weren’t really at play for them as they approached April 4, the day of the transplant and almost a year since Alexander was first admitted to the emergency room.
Alexander said he didn’t see reason to dwell on his affliction and that the surgery was out of his hands, while Jordan echoed his earlier thoughts that he simply knew his choice was the only one to make.
Giovanni wasn’t as calm.
“I’m just starting to calm down now,” she admitted. “I was really nervous. At one point, I’m thinking, ‘Lord, am I sacrificing one son for another?’ When they did the test and it showed he didn’t have the same gene, I felt a little better.”
The surgery was a success.
The brothers are each nine weeks into their respective recoveries.
Jordan has returned to work with some restrictions and has to temporarily take his exercise regimen a bit easier than before — he is an avid Crossfitter. Alexander, meanwhile, believes he’ll be cleared to resume his work duties early next month.
Both say they believe they’re close to being fully healed.“The hardest part about recovery was really the first week,” Jordan said. “I could barely stand up straight, everything was so sore. After that, I cruised.”
Alex noted, “I feel close to 100 percent, even though I’m probably not. I’m just waiting for clearance from my doctors. I feel great.”
Tears welled up in their mother’s eyes when she reflected on Jordan’s selfless sacrifice.
“There’s that saying, ‘Am I my brother’s keeper?’ He is truly his brother’s keeper,” Giovanni said. “That’s an amazing thing that he did. I can’t even tell him how often we appreciate him doing that.”
Their father, Johnnie, called Jordan a true hero.
“What I feel, it’s more than proud,” Johnnie said. “It’s a tribute to a whole lot of things in terms of their character. The biggest thing was that it was second nature for him. It weighed heavy on his mind, heart about what direction his brother was gonna go in. He made that choice in an instant.
“Most people live their whole life wondering what it’s like to be a hero. To be a true hero is to save someone’s life. No second thoughts. He never says you owe me. Just, ‘I did it because I love you.’ Nothing more, nothing less. That’s the best thing to me.”
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