Student and teacher are 'kidney friends for life'

OAKFIELD (WLUK) -- On the first day back to school a student and teacher shared a once-in-a-lifetime bond.

The student, Natasha Fuller, needed a kidney transplant, and the teacher at Oakfield Elementary School was a match. That teacher, Jodi Schmidt, gave Fuller the gift of life.

A raucous rally capped off the Oakfield School District's first day of 2016-2017. Second-grader Fuller and third-grade teacher Schmidt were the stars.

"Mrs. Schmidt is the wonderfullest teacher and she takes care of a lot of kids!" exclaimed Fuller.

Fuller herself has received the most care, far beyond what you might expect. Schmidt gave Fuller a kidney.

The teacher told FOX 11 the decision was not difficult.

"For me, no, I really believe that it was meant to be, that it's my path," Schmidt explained.

Kidney failure kept Fuller from doing a lot of things most children take for granted like running, jumping, even eating chocolate.

After Schmidt and her surgeries in May, everything's changed. Fuller told us one new activity is her summer favorite.

"Ummm, go swimming!" she said, smiling.

Schmidt told FOX 11 seeing Fuller enjoying her childhood is priceless.

"Almost indescribable. Watching her swim for the first time was probably, easily, one of the best days of my life," Schmidt said.

The duo told us the first day of school brought good changes too.

"Got to play with my friends, we were running!" Fuller exclaimed.

"I guess if anything changes, I think my students have a different awareness of kindness and giving," Schmidt added.

One thing hasn't changed: this little girl's personality.

"She's always been pretty spicy!" exclaimed Schmidt, laughing.

Schmidt said she hopes this story inspires others to consider organ donation.

"People are waiting very patiently for organs every day," she told us.

Now these two share a close bond: kidney friends forever.

"She's got a special place in my heart," said Schmidt.

And Fuller has one wish for her now very bright future.

"If I could be in Mrs. Schmidt's class," she told us.

We'll just have to see what the first day of school brings next year.

Fuller has one more surgery at the end of this week to remove a final tube from the transplant site.

The transplant surgeries themselves took place at Froedtert Hospital and Children's Hospital of Wisconsin in Wauwatosa.