CONTRIBUTED TO THE OBSERVER
AUBURN — In a story of extraordinary faith, friendship and sacrifice, Steven Register, a husband, father of three and former Auburn University baseball star who went on to pitch in the Major Leagues for the Colorado Rockies and Philadelphia Phillies, is set to receive a life-saving liver transplant this June. Even more remarkably, the donor is someone he already knows, but hadn’t seen in over two decades.
Kristin Johnston, a mother of three from Roswell, Georgia, was Steven’s former high school classmate and church youth group friend. When she learned Steven was seeking a living donor after being diagnosed with stage four colon cancer with metastasis to the liver, she reached out with a simple but life-changing question: “What’s your blood type?”
They matched.
“It was like God placed the decision on my heart,” Kristin shared on Facebook. “Something in me just knew I was supposed to do this. The clarity was undeniable.”
Over the past year, Steven has endured 21 rounds of chemotherapy, multiple surgeries and countless scans, all while waiting and praying for a transplant that seemed out of reach. As a cancer patient, he ranks low on the deceased donor list. Kristin’s courageous and selfless decision to become a living donor has given Steven and his family renewed hope.
The two families have bonded deeply through this journey, often joking about their college sports loyalties, with Steven being a diehard Auburn Tigers fan and Kristin cheering for the Georgia Bulldogs.
“We joke that Steven might wake up loving the Dawgs a little more than normal after surgery,” the families shared with a smile.
The transplant will require both families to relocate temporarily to Rochester, New York, incurring extensive travel and recovery expenses. A SupportNow registry has been launched to ease the financial burden and allow both families to focus on healing.
Those interested can help by donating at www.supportnow.org/the-register-family, by sharing this story and by lifting the families up in prayer for strength and healing.
About SupportNow
SupportNow is a free, all-in-one family support solution designed to reduce overwhelm during major life moments such as diagnosis, disability, disaster or loss. Whether raising funds, coordinating meals, streamlining communication or organizing volunteers, SupportNow brings families and communities together in innovative and compassionate ways. Families keep more of the donated funds, and the platform is fully customizable, empowering organizers to mobilize support that meets their unique needs. For more information, visit www.SupportNow.org.
