NIAGARA COUNTY, N.Y. — Last fall, Elena DePaolo thought she finally found her miracle.
"I was devastated. I was absolutely devastated when my transplant was canceled in November," she said.
All before she even turned 29, she beat cancer and had a miscarriage.
That's when doctors discovered DePaolo was also in kidney failure.
"I have a young son. I didn't adopt him to only do it halfway," DePaolo said.
The harder things got, she found a bright spot in 2-year-old Lorenzo.
Giving up wasn't an option.
"I needed to be there for him and I needed to do what I had to do and I didn't care if I had to annoy the community for a while," DePaolo said.
It's why nearly two years ago, DePaolo shared her story on fliers all around Niagara County.
When she had to restart her search in November, she spoke to 2 On Your Side's Danielle Church and repeatedly posted on Facebook.
As DePaolo waited for the right person to take notice, 40-year-old Laura Jean of Niagara Falls followed along and could feel a connection.
"I know how I felt when I adopted my son," Jean said. "My mom had been diagnosed with breast cancer the year before and survived it as well."
Jean called ECMC to get tested and on July 11, gave DePaolo her miracle.
"She says she's not a superhero. She's my superhero," DePaolo said.
Their nurse introduced them to each other the next day.
"I cried," DePaolo said.
"Lots of tears, lots of hugs," Jean said.
"There were lots of hugs and tears, yes," DePaolo said.
What once was devastation, has now become joy and a blossoming friendship.
"Laura got me a little kidney bracelet. The kidney's name is Lola," DePaolo said.
"My family calls me Lo and (Elena) said hers called her La. So I was like Lola would be a perfect name for the kidney," Jean said.
Two strangers found each other by chance.
"Honestly if I had another kidney, I'd probably do it again. But I have to keep the one I have," Jean said.
But they'll stay connected forever because of another chance at life.
"(Laura) saved me. I'm going to live because of her. I have a new lease on life because of her," DePaolo said.
"It was a simple process... I just really hope some people see that, if they can do it, it's worth it," Jean said.