A WAITRESS has given an ailing long-time customer one of her kidneys.

Mariana Villarreal, who works at Hooters in the city of Roswell, 37kms from Atlanta, Georgia, and the customer Don Thomas are both said to be in a great shape after the kidney transplant at Piedmont Transplant Institute in Atlanta on Friday.

Thomas lost both his kidneys to cancer and was facing death until Mariana, who was recently hired by restuarant, heard about his plight.

“I said, ‘Well I have two kidneys, do you want one of mine?’” Villarreal told the NBC’s told WXIA-TV.

“My reply was, ‘I will accept it,’” Thomas said.

Mariana was inspired to help after recently losing her grandmother to kidney failure

“I wasn’t able to do anything for my grandma,” she.

“If (Don) can live two more years, happy as he’s ever been, that’s fine with me. That’s not up to me. I did my part, now it’s God’s turn to keep him alive.”

Thomas was stunned by the offer.

“Mariana had only been here a short time,” he said. “I just barely knew her when she made the offer.”

Dr Harrison Pollinger, of Piedmont Transplant Institute, said both should lead normal healthy lives after the transplant.

“You can live your whole life with one just kidney,” Dr Pollinger said. “You only need one kidney for normal kidney function.”

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