A local mixed martial arts fighter is giving up one of his kidneys – and possibly his career.
 
Mike “The Muffin Man” Miller is a 25-year-old Tampa MMA fighter with a professional record of 3-1-0.  He’s fought MMA for six years and recently started fighting pro.
 
“Next fight would’ve been a title fight in July, but we don’t have until July,” Miller said.
 
Miller will go into surgery April 20. He’s giving his kidney to a man he met less than a month ago.
 
“I can’t think of a guy who deserves it more,” he said.
 
Miller read a previous story on Bay News 9 about Joey Richman, a local college student who needs a new kidney. Joey’s mother, Dana, started #AKidneyForJoey on social media. She hoped to find a healthy, living donor to help save her son’s life.
 
“There was a draw, a polarity that was kind of undeniable from the moment I read the page,” Miller said.

An "instant and magnetic" connection

Joey has a genetic condition called Alport’s Syndrome. The syndrome has destroyed his kidneys and affected his hearing. Every day, four times a day, he administers dialysis on himself to stay alive.
 
Miller reached out to Dana on Facebook and he soon met the family over dinner.
 
“It was kind of surreal,” Joey said, “to feel that comfortable with someone when you really don’t know them.”
 
The connection was instant and magnetic.
 
“With Mike, just right off the bat, I don’t want to say I didn’t feel guilty, but I felt at peace,” Dana said. “I absolutely felt comfortable, you could tell, you just immediately knew, we were supposed to be.”
 
The decision was almost instant, Miller said, though he did sleep on it.
 
“But the minute I woke up the next morning, I decided I was going to fill out the paperwork and go get the initial blood tests,” Miller said.
 
After a battery of testing, Miller came back as a perfect match. By giving Joey his kidney, however, he could be ending his MMA career.
 
“I know people who have fought with one kidney before,” Miller said. “I don’t know how I’m going to react to the surgery, but I’m prepared to do that for this.”
 
He said he’s destined to do this.
 
“I believe that people do have a calling, a purpose, they need to fulfill in life,” Miller said. “If you listen to it, you’ll find it. This was pretty loud, it was a slap in the face. It was almost undeniable.”
 
By donating his kidney, Miller is even looking at a shorter life span.
 
“You end up losing a little on the end, but that’s ok,” he said. “I’m not much for hospital beds and the late life anyway.”

Gaining a new family member

Joey and Dana joined Miller during a training session at the American Top Team gym in Tampa. As Miller sparred with a teammate in the octagon, Dana watched on with concern.
 
“If he’s down for more than 30 seconds, I’m going in there,” Dana said.
 
She took pictures throughout the night. She smiled with pride when Miller was presented with a blue belt in jiu jitsu.
 
It was clear that Miller’s kidney had created a new family.
 
“I feel like we’ve known Mike our entire lives,” Dana said. “When I watch the boys at the table, it’s like I’m seeing my four sons. I’ve never seen anything fit like the four of them. You can tell they belong together.”
 
“We’re getting more than a kidney,” Joey said. “(We’re) getting a new family member.”
 
Joey wants to go to medical school and become a surgeon. With his new chance at life, he hopes to help others.
 
The family is raising money to offset hospital and post-op costs for Joey and Mike. Joey will be insolation for months after the surgery while his body adapts to his new kidney. Mike, who works on sinkholes by trade, will be out of work for a few months to recover. Here’s how you can help:
 
GoFundMe for Joey Richman: https://www.gofundme.com/AKidneyForJoey
GoFundMe for Mike Miller: https://www.gofundme.com/6aunghtw

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