Two "Star Wars" fans had more in common than an undying passion for Luke Skywalker and Han Solo. They had the same type of kidney – and when a man needed an organ to replace the one he would lose to cancer, his fellow stormtrooper came to his rescue.
Things were looking dark for Jeff Romanoff, a 41-year-old cop from Philly and diehard "Star Wars" fan who developed a genetic condition that caused kidney cancer, according to The New York Post. Romanoff lost one kidney and the other was failing; a transplant was his only hope for survival.
With Darth Vader knocking on his door, Romanoff posted a bulletin on the Web site of his beloved stormtroopers fan club – and one of his Imperial comrades delivered.
"At that time, I didn't know he was suffering from cancer," donor Eric Seemann told The Post. "They weren't actually asking members of the group to get themselves tested [for compatibility]. But I thought about it. They hadn't asked for it, but I stepped up."
Indeed he did. Seeman, a Long Island man, found out he was a match in late August 2008. He and Romanoff underwent surgery earlier this month and the transplant was successful.
Romanoff could hardly express his gratitude for the stormtrooper that saved his life.
"How many people can say they've met a true hero? I can," Romanoff told The Post. "I'm cancer free, and I have a brand-new kidney … I will honor the rest of my life to the sacrifice he has made for me."
