Gift of Life creates the opportunity of a lifetime for local transplant recipient

PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- When Dylan Contreras walked out on the field to throw out the first pitch at Citizens Bank Park in August, it was a reminder of how grateful he was to be alive.

Contreras received a kidney transplant at the age of 18, providing him with a life-changing health that he is not wasting.

The young man is chasing his dreams as a photographer, studying for a college degree and working a full-time job after finding inspiration from a new friend he met at the hospital.

Gift of Life has coordinated more than 58,000 organ transplants since its inception in 1974.

Contreras walking out to the mound at a sold-out Phillies game is a reminder of how impactful saying yes to a donation can be.

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