My Journey as a 2025 Liver Transplant Survivor: Embracing My Second Chance at Life

I had the privilege to meet my donor yesterday. I'm posting as a piece of motivation for those who are in the transplant healing process or for those who may donate or those who are currently thinking about donating. As I write this it feels incomplete to me but yet at the same time feel finished. If I can make an impact on just one person, I say I lived out my wildest dream. May this artwork bring more awareness to becoming an organ donor. 💚💚💚💚💚💚💚💚💚💚💚💚💚💚💚

Dear Family,

To my donor family/donor–I have been thinking about this letter from the moment I found out that you have decided to donate part of your liver. I have spent countless hours on how to write this letter to you and what I should say and how to say it. First of all, I want to say I’m beyond grateful to have received a part of your liver and a second chance at life.

My name is Mitchel Reisinger and I'm 26 years old and I was born with a liver disease called Biliary atresia which is caused when your bile ducts are not formed fully. I was told at a very young age that I would have a liver transplant, but my liver doctor didn't know when it would happen, they just knew it would happen at some point in my life. The liver transplant was something that was in the back of my mind, but I didn't think it would happen at the age of 26 years old. During my 26 years of living, I have been sick with Cholangitis a total of six times. Cholangitis is when your bile duct becomes inflamed and causes scarring on the liver. I ended up getting sick back-to-back with Cholangitis before being placed on the organ transplant list.

Before my transplant, I didn't know if or when I would get a liver transplant but your donation of part of your liver has completely changed me in a way I can’t explain. I feel like I have always been grateful and appreciated my life, but this transplant has completely changed that for me. This transplant has completely changed me mentally, physically, and spiritually as well. I have learned to trust myself more than ever during this process. Not only that, but also how to love myself during the whole process and how to trust myself more. Since this liver transplant, I have had a few complications along the way but my liver team said it is completely normal to have them. I could remember calling the nurse on call multiple times and looking for answers. Sometimes I would hear what I needed while other times I trusted myself even when I may not feel 100% confident and if I needed to go in or not. While having these complications, there were moments where I questioned if it was worth it or not but one thing that kept me going during those challenging times was knowing someone's life/ liver was now a part of my life and that I was not only living for me but now know I have someone else’s liver inside of me and with me.

I am now one day short of hitting my 4 months with a working liver. If I'm being completely honest, these last four months have been a rollercoaster of emotions. I’m beyond grateful to be here right now. A part of me still can’t process or even comprehend now that I don’t have to worry about being sick or having to worry about going through another transplant. I would most definitely do this all over again if I needed to, of course, but knowing I am alive, and healthy right now is just crazy to think about.

I would say I'm pretty close to going back to 100% living my life before I had my liver transplant. I currently still have one of my bile drains in my side that's draining fluid in my liver area. Before getting sick, I was running my own photography business and to know that I get to go back to doing what I love because of you makes me extremely happy and emotional.  I know I can’t thank you enough but there is one thing I think I can do and that is take care of this new and working liver the best I can.

I hope you know how much it means to me that you have donated a portion of your liver to me. Your selfless act will never be unnoticed and will stay with me until my end of time on this earth. your selfless act of service it will never go unoticed.