Ervin Miller
Philadelphia, PA
Kidney transplant recipient

Ervin Miller, a passionate educator and employee with The School District of Philadelphia, was given a second chance at life after being diagnosed with renal kidney failure.

What seemed like a normal summer day for the then fifth-grade math teacher turned into a life-changing discovery. After experiencing what felt like a heart attack, Ervin drove himself to the hospital to find out that his kidney was failing and he needed emergency dialysis, as well as a blood transfusion to manage massive internal bleeding. Ervin was informed that, had he not made it to the hospital when he did, he would have passed away within 48 hours.

Despite the shocking news, Ervin remained optimistic and was determined to get back to the classroom to teach his students in the new school year. Ervin developed a game plan to continue teaching, followed by dialysis treatment each day. Although this process was a challenge, Ervin was grateful he was able to continue doing what he loved most every day.

This treatment continued from August through December until a kidney donor became available from a 14-year-old boy who passed away in a bicycle accident. Since reading a letter from the donor family, Ervin has felt even more grateful for and connected to the young boy as they shared a very similar love for life.

Since his transplant, Ervin furthered his education by attending grad school and continues to take advantage of his second chance at life by serving in an administrative role with the School District of Philadelphia to help students all across the city.