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CABELL COUNTY, W.Va. (WSAZ) - When Ben Horton talks about Sarah Coyle being a lifesaver, he means that quite literally.

In 2021, Horton was diagnosed with polycystic kidney disease. The disease causes kidneys to function below normal and can have side effects such as high blood pressure, back pain, and kidney stones.

Horton was beginning to notice the impacts this disease had on his body.

“I was beginning to go downhill I can tell, as far as my body,” he said. “They told me I was going to have to both of my kidneys removed because if I didn’t get a donor, I would have to have kidney surgery anyways. So, this way they could go ahead and get prepared for it.”

That’s when Horton announced to his church in January of 2023 that he would have to have his kidneys removed. During that service, a member of the church, Sarah Coyle, said she heard a voice in her heart telling her to donate, to Ben, but not even knowing if she would be a good match for the donation, at first she ignored the voice.

“It’s not something that you can explain unless you are a believer, but God speaks to your heart and you know that without a doubt that it is God speaking to you and He called on me to do something that I would not have the courage to do without him,” Coyle said.

One week later, the following Sunday, she told Horton something completely unexpected.

“After service Sarah came up to me and said ‘I’ve been telling God no all week but I’m not telling him no anymore, I’m going to give you a kidney.’ "

Coyle was a 100% match for the donation.

Horton is now back to great health and says that without Coyle and God, none of this would be possible, making her our latest Hometown Hero.

He said she’s not only a Hometown Hero because of her donation to him, but for the hope that her story inspires others, who are able, to donate as well.

“Sarah is my hero for donating me a kidney with God’s help with this gift of love, it needs to be told to the world that there’s donors out there that’s willing to have transplants to recipients like myself,” Horton said.

And ever since his surgery, Ben has been able to stop using a walker and says that he is feeling so much better, especially with ‘his angel’ by his side.