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Newswise — When Hackensack University Medical Center Security Officer Dwayne Humes walks into a room, his presence quietly commands attention. Dwayne served six years in the United States Air Force and 31 years and counting at the hospital. “People see me and ask if I have been in the military. I walk tall. The Air Force taught me to walk tall,” explains Dwayne. “There are things that stay with you for life.”
Dwayne, one of four children, grew up in a churchgoing family. Without fail, they attended church every Sunday and Sunday School surely followed. His mother Iris always told him, “Whatever you do in life, always try to do your best. Try to do right by people, even if they don’t appreciate it. Good things will come to you. God will bless you.”
Divine intervention seemed to be at work in Dwayne’s life. One day while he was sitting at Security Post #31, which links two buildings on the campus of Hackensack University Medical Center, he saw Dr. Michael Goldstein, director of Abdominal Organ Transplantation, wearing a Philadelphia Eagles lanyard. Dwayne, a huge New York Giants fan, started “messing” with Dr. Goldstein – an exchange that began a most valued friendship.
Dwayne has diabetes and had received some concerning news from nephrologist, Dr. Harold Weizman. He made sure to share it with Dr. Goldstein the next time he saw him. “Dr. Weizman told me, ‘Dwayne, your kidneys aren’t at 100 percent and they started going into kidney failure.’ I told Dr. Goldstein I didn’t know what was going to happen, but if I needed a transplant I asked if he would be my surgeon. He said ‘Sure, it would be my pleasure’,” recalls Dwayne.
Two weeks later in March of 2020, Dwayne came down with COVID-19 and landed in the hospital for 18 days. “It was very serious. Doctors didn’t think I was going to make it. One doctor came in and I said, ‘Give it to me straight.’ He said a lot depended on whether I would make it through the night. I prayed a lot and a lot of people prayed for me also. I made it through the night,” says Dwayne.
Unfortunately, COVID wreaked havoc and destroyed what was left of his kidney. Dialysis was the only answer. “While I was in the hospital, they put a shunt in my chest and told me I had to go on dialysis. It was a major adjustment and a lot of information to process while I was sick,” he recalled.
“I contacted Dr. Goldstein while I was on dialysis and told him I wanted him to be my surgeon. He told me, ‘Don’t worry. I will be there.’ I believe with everything in me that God places people in your path. Dr. Goldstein was placed in my path. We formed a friendship before this ever happened. God was in charge of that whole thing.”
For the next three years, Dwayne underwent dialysis on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays for four hours each day. “When I first got there, I made it fun because I’m a jokester. I told everyone, we are all here for the same purpose, so we might as well get along. I made people laugh. The therapy really helped me also. I received my treatment in ‘the Blue Room’ with maybe 20-24 other people at the same time,” shared Dwayne. “I became friends with a guy who got his kidney one week before mine. I told him that is what we’ve been praying for and talking about. I told him, “I’m jealous but I guess I’m next in line!”
Dwayne was right. It was Monday, March 20, 2023, when he received a call telling him they had a kidney but there was one person in front of him. “If it didn’t match, then I was next in line. I was told to go to dialysis on Tuesday. If it didn’t match the other person, they would call me. I went to dialysis at 5:30 a.m. as instructed. Cheryl Dean, RN, called and told me ‘Dr. Goldstein said get in the hospital at 9 a.m.’ For the first time, I was at a loss. I didn’t know what to feel. They took me off dialysis at 8 a.m. so I could make it to the hospital.”
The transplant surgery took three hours. “I woke up in a little bit of pain, but Dr. Goldstein said the surgery went well and everything looked good. The kidney was the perfect match. We had the same blood type, and the size of the kidney was good for my body size – the two most important things matched up,” says Dwayne. “When everyone left the room, I shed some tears of joy and thanked God and my mamma (who passed away in January of this year). I’m sure my mom went up there and talked to God saying, ‘My baby is down there and needs something.’ I know she told God.”
The Transplant Team felt like his extended family. “Everybody is terrific. They were pulling for me. Every Monday and Thursday I go for blood work to make sure my kidney is doing well. People run over to me, hug me and say they had been waiting for this for such a long time. It touches me to know people care and they express over and over again about how excited they were when they saw my name on the transplant list. It’s a great feeling.”
Now that the surgery was complete, Dr. Goldstein planned an extraordinary surprise for his patient and friend! He knew Giants quarterback Daniel Jones was Dwayne’s favorite player and planned a game-changing surprise that was difficult to contain. “He would tell me, ‘Dwayne, I have a surprise for you. I want to tell you, but I’m not going to tell you’,” says Dwayne.
Dr. Goldstein reached out to Daniel Jones. When Daniel heard that Dwayne wasn’t feeling so well, he graciously agreed to pay a visit to boost his spirits, talk a little football and wish him a speedy recovery. “When Dr. Goldstein came into the room and said, ‘Do you remember that surprise I told you about, well someone is here to meet you.’ I was floored when Daniel Jones walked into the room,” says Dwayne. “My two sons were there because Dr. Goldstein told them to bring something for Daniel to sign for me. This is the biggest gesture anyone has ever done for me. I told Dr. Goldstein I hope he doesn’t get tired of me thanking him for this.”
Dwayne believes everything happens for a reason. “God did all these things for me to have a testimony. Anytime God does something big in your life, it’s your testimony. I hope I can help one person who is on dialysis if not more. I want people to know, stand strong in your faith and things will happen,” says an incredibly grateful Dwayne who is going well and back at his post.
This week and every week we thank Dwayne and each and every member of Hackensack University Medical Center’s Security Team for all their selfless work in serving our hospital, team members, patients and visitors. Happy Healthcare Security and Safety Week!
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