'No Brainer': Switzerland Co. coach gives kidney to friend

“To me it was a minor inconvenience, and for him it was a life-saving donation" 

This story was originally published in the 812 Magazine. You can subscribe to receive our next magazine in your mailbox this month by clicking here.

(VEVAY, Ind.) – Switzerland County varsity football coach Ryan Jesop has a motto when it comes to his friends. 

“If you need something and I have it, then it’s yours,” he said. 

Jesop said that’s the case if a car broke down and a friend needs a vehicle. Or if someone lost their home and needed a place to stay for the night. 

Back in January, it was revealed that his friend Brian Craig didn’t need a set of keys or a place to stay.

Craig needed a new kidney and was placed on the IU Health transplant list. 

Several of his friends signed up to be a donor and had to go through a rigorous testing program to see if they were a fit. 

“They only select two people at a time to get into the process and the top two candidates were eliminated and deemed not viable donors,” Craig told The 812. 

The third person on the list was Jesop who has been friends with Craig for the past decade. 

“Our friend group is like a tight-knit family and so are our kids. I knew I couldn’t ever look his kids in the eyes and think that I had an opportunity to save their dad and didn’t step up,” Jesop said. 

Jesop was deemed a viable donor and the procedure took place at IU Health in Indianapolis on May 8. 

The recovery process involved Brian remaining in the hospital for two weeks. He also had frequent lab and clinic follow-ups immediately following surgery, but things are beginning to slow down. 

“Life is pretty much back to normal and things are going well. There are things like riding a lawnmower that can be difficult due to the bouncing around, but otherwise I am doing well,” Craig said. 

For Jesop, he spent two days in the hospital following the surgery along with two weeks resting at home, and described the immediate pain from the procedure as being similar to doing a hard ab workout. 

“I have had some minor problems with blood pressure, which is common with this kind of surgery, so it has restricted me a bit as a football coach this summer to make sure I keep my blood pressure low,” he explained. 

Jesop says the blood pressure symptoms have disappeared and he’s looking forward to being on the sidelines this season. 

“People ask me all the time about how I am doing now and I have to think about what they mean, before they remind me about the surgery,” he laughed. 

The former Switzerland County teacher, who is now serving as an agent-intern with State Farm  in Vevay, says there are many benefits of being a donor that go beyond helping a person who is in need. 

He points to the fact that in order to become a donor, you must go through a series of tests, most of which you need anyway. 

“It is the most thorough physical you’ll ever have in your life and the bonus is that these tests helped me learn a lot about my own health and body. I found out some things that I needed to take care of myself,” he said. 

The donor’s insurance covers all of the costs including if there are ever any future complications as a result of the surgery. 

“You’re essentially granted a golden ticket. If I ever need a kidney in the future, I am moved up on the list because I have been a donor already,” he explained. 

Jesop said it was a blessing to help Craig when he needed a hand and called it the easiest donation he could give. 

“To me it was a minor inconvenience, and for him it was a life-saving donation,” Jesop added. 

If you’re curious about becoming a donor, you can submit a donor evaluation form through IU Health at https://iuhealth.org/living-kidney-donor-evaluation-form or contact your local hospital for more details.