It’s a match: Assistant principal donates kidney to 8th-grade teacher

HAYS, Kan. (KWCH/Gray News) – A middle school assistant principal in Kansas is forever bonded with an eighth-grade teacher after she gave her a kidney.

Hays Middle School Assistant Principal Shauna Zweifel is recovering from surgery after donating a kidney to Meagan Englert, an eighth-grade English teacher at the school.

According to a GoFundMe page, Englert is described as a loving wife, mom, and teacher. She has been teaching at Hays Middle School for three years and has been an educator for five years.

In the last few years, Englert discovered she needed a kidney transplant. After some time, Zweifel found out she was a match.

“I kept telling myself, ‘If this is meant to be, God’s going to make it happen,’” Zweifel said of her time waiting to learn if she was a match. “So, he made it happen.”

Fortunately, the Oct. 18 transplant surgery went smoothly, and Zweifel said the kidney started working right away for Englert.

“I was just happy I could do something for her, and I just kept putting myself in her position and thinking if I were in the position of needing a kidney, I would hope someone would do the same,” Zweifel said.

Englert’s recovery is now a school-wide campaign. Hays Middle School students have been donating change in each class to help with their teacher’s medical bills following the surgery.

Hays Middle School Principal Tom Albers said the “Coins for Kidneys” project has taken off and everyone has embraced it.

According to the GoFundMe page, it’s not exactly certain how long Englert will have to be gone from teaching, but it’s likely she will return to the classroom in January at the start of the new semester.

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