A Michigan grandfather’s hope for a life-saving kidney transplant tragically turned fatal when the donated organ carried a hidden, deadly infection: rabies. Barney Kurowicki, a retired postal worker and farmer from Tecumseh, succumbed to the disease in January 2025, mere weeks after undergoing the life-altering surgery.
A Chain of Events Across States
The devastating sequence began hundreds of miles away in rural Idaho. The organ donor, James Martin, 59, had been scratched by a skunk while reportedly protecting a rescue kitten. Unbeknownst to medical professionals at the time, this seemingly minor incident led to a fatal illness for Martin. He fell into a coma, but the underlying cause of his sickness remained unidentified, and he ultimately passed away.
Kurowicki had been on a rigorous dialysis regimen for over two years while awaiting a transplant. He was added to the national transplant waiting list in late 2024 and received a donor kidney offer within days. The transplant surgery was performed at the University of Toledo Medical Center in Ohio.
Devastating Symptoms Emerge
Following the surgery, Kurowicki initially experienced complications that were attributed to cardiac issues. However, subsequent testing revealed a far more sinister diagnosis: rabies, transmitted through the donated kidney.
Kim Martin, the donor’s wife, recalled her husband dismissing concerns about the skunk scratch in the fall of 2024. He had indicated it was a minor injury that would heal with basic care. Weeks later, his health declined sharply. On the day he collapsed, Kim Martin reported finding him seemingly speaking to an absent individual before he lost consciousness and entered a coma. His family initially considered his existing health problems as a contributing factor to the medical emergency.
Because rabies was not suspected, Martin’s organs and tissues were made available for donation after standard disease screenings for conditions such as HIV and hepatitis. His kidney was subsequently transplanted into Kurowicki, while other donated tissues, including corneas, were distributed to recipients and medical programs across several states.
Public Health Response and Rare Transmission
While the transplant initially appeared successful, alarming symptoms soon began to manifest in Kurowicki. According to an investigation by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), he developed tremors, leg weakness, confusion, and urinary problems. As his condition deteriorated, doctors observed a chilling symptom characteristic of rabies: hydrophobia, an intense fear of water.
Ryan Wallace, a CDC rabies expert, explained that the fear of water is not just a physical reaction to the pain of swallowing but a neurological effect. Medical staff contacted the CDC via a specialized rabies consultation hotline. Initial investigations explored whether Kurowicki himself had any contact with wild animals that could explain his symptoms. Ultimately, testing confirmed the rabies infection originated from the donated kidney.
Rabies is nearly always fatal once symptoms appear. Kurowicki died just days after the disease was definitively identified. This discovery prompted an urgent, multi-state public health response to identify and notify anyone potentially exposed through Martin’s donated tissues.
Protecting Other Recipients
Three patients who had already received cornea grafts from Martin’s donated tissue were notified and underwent treatment, including the removal of the grafts. Another planned transplant was halted before it could proceed. Fortunately, all of the cornea recipients survived.
Dr. Christine Hahn, Idaho state epidemiologist, expressed pride in the public health response, noting the successful protection of other recipients despite the tragic loss of the initial transplant recipient. Investigators later determined that the rabies strain involved was associated with silver-haired bats, suggesting the skunk may have been infected after consuming a rabid bat.
Unprecedented Event and Safety Measures
The CDC emphasized the exceptionally rare nature of this event. Prior to this case, only three instances of rabies transmission through organ transplantation had been documented in the United States since 1978. David McCormick, a medical officer with the CDC’s Office of Blood, Organ and Other Tissue Safety, reassured the public that organ transplantation in the U.S. remains very safe, highlighting the complexity and limited availability of routine rabies testing.
In response to this tragedy, federal officials have proposed enhancements to donor screening procedures. These include more detailed inquiries about potential rabies exposure and clearer protocols for involving the CDC when concerns arise.
Legal Action and Donor Family’s Grief
Kurowicki’s family has since filed a lawsuit against the physicians, transplant organizations, and healthcare providers involved in the transplant process, alleging negligence in the vetting of the donor organ. The University of Toledo Medical Center stated that a review confirmed adherence to all established safety protocols and best practices.
For Kim Martin, the wife of the donor, the realization that one of her husband’s donated organs led to another man’s death was devastating. She expressed deep sorrow and offered apologies, emphasizing that the event was unintentional and occurred without their knowledge.
