Midwest dad hoped kidney transplant would save his life - but it ended up giving him RABIES and killing him

By JAMES GORDON, US NEWS REPORTER Published: 00:29, 30 May 2026 | Updated: 00:30, 30 May 2026 A Michigan grandfather who spent years waiting for a life-saving kidney transplant died within days after receiving an organ infected with rabies. Barney Kurowicki, a retired postal worker and farmer from Tecumseh, contracted the deadly disease in January 2025, just weeks after he underwent the surgery. The fatal chain of events began hundreds of miles away in rural Idaho when organ donor James Martin, 59, was scratched by a skunk while protecting his rescue kitten. Martin fell ill and went into a coma but medics failed to identify the cause of his sickness and he died.  Kurowicki had spent more than two years undergoing dialysis while waiting for a transplant.  He was added to the national transplant waiting list in late 2024 and was offered a donor kidney within days. The surgery took place at the University of Toledo Medical Center in Ohio. But within days Kurowicki began experiencing complications which were initially believed to be cardiac related. However, tests subsequently revealed he had been infected by rabies via his kidney transplant.  Michigan grandfather Barney Kurowicki, pictured, died after contracting rabies from a donated kidney transplant, according to a CDC investigation The donated kidney came from James Martin, pictured, a 59-year-old Idaho father of three whose death was initially believed to be heart-related - but was in fact rabies Kim Martin recalled her husband dismissing concerns about the skunk scratch in Fall 2024. 'He's like, "I'll be fine. It's just a scratch. I'll just put, you know, Neosporin on it, and I'll be fine after I get it cleaned,"' she told Scripps News. Weeks later, Martin's health deteriorated dramatically. On the day he collapsed, Kim said she found him apparently talking to someone who was not there. 'I had to go wake him up and go, 'Honey, who are you talking to?'' she recalled. Soon afterward, he lost consciousness and fell into a coma. His family believed his extensive health problems may have contributed to the medical emergency. He died a few days later. Because rabies was not suspected, his organs and tissues entered the transplant system after undergoing standard screening for diseases such as HIV and hepatitis. His kidney was transplanted into Kurowicki. Other donated tissues, including corneas, were distributed to recipients and medical programs across several states. Investigators believe Martin contracted rabies after being scratched by a skunk while protecting a rescued kitten near his Idaho home Martin's family said they had no idea rabies was responsible for his sudden decline and eventual death. Pictured, James Martin alongside his wife, Kim For a brief period, it appeared the transplant had been successful but then alarming symptoms began to emerge. According to a CDC investigation, Kurowicki developed tremors, weakness in his legs, confusion and urinary problems.  As his condition worsened, doctors noticed another chilling symptom often associated with rabies: hydrophobia, or fear of water. 'Your throat swells up a little bit, so it's actually painful to drink and swallow,' CDC rabies expert Ryan Wallace told Scripps News. 'But it's more of a neurologic effect, and so people are truly afraid of water.' Medical staff contacted the CDC through a specialized rabies consultation hotline. Initially, investigators examined whether Kurowicki himself had encountered any wild animals that might explain the symptoms. Testing ultimately confirmed the rabies had been transmitted through the donated kidney. Rabies is almost universally fatal once symptoms develop. Kurowicki died just days after the disease was identified. The discovery triggered an urgent, multi-state public health response as officials raced to determine whether anyone else had been exposed through Martin's donated tissues. Three patients who had already received cornea grafts from Martin's donated tissue were told to undergo treatment and have the grafts removed. Another planned transplant was stopped before it could proceed. All of the cornea recipients survived. Kurowicki, left, had spent more than two years on dialysis before receiving the kidney transplant in December 2024. Pictured, Barney Kurowicki is seen alongside his wife Kathlene Investigators believe the fatal chain of events began when a skunk scratched donor James Martin after he went to protect a rescued kitten from the aggressive animal outside his home 'I am super proud of public health in this situation,' Idaho state epidemiologist Dr. Christine Hahn told Scripps News.  'Unfortunately, the gentleman who passed away, the initial recipient, did not survive, but the fact that we were able to jump into action and get these other folks protected just makes me really proud.' Investigators later concluded that the rabies strain involved was associated with silver-haired bats rather than skunks. Experts believe the skunk that scratched Martin may itself have become infected after consuming a rabid bat. The CDC emphasized that the tragedy represents an exceptionally rare event. According to the agency, only three previous incidents of rabies transmission through organ transplantation had been documented in the United States since 1978 before this case. 'This is a very rare event,' said David McCormick, a medical officer in the CDC's Office of Blood, Organ and Other Tissue Safety. 'Organ transplantation in the United States is very safe.' Kurowicki, a loving grandfather of 11, developed tremors, leg weakness, confusion and urinary problems in the weeks following his transplant Kurowicki, a retired postal worker, farmer and father of four had been hoping the transplant would free him from years of dialysis and extend his life McCormick also noted the practical challenges of routine rabies testing. 'The testing is very complex and can only be done at certain centers,' he said. Federal officials have since proposed changes that could strengthen donor screening, including additional questions about potential rabies exposure and clearer procedures for involving the CDC when concerns arise. Kurowicki's family has now filed a lawsuit against doctors, transplant organizations and healthcare providers involved in the transplant process, alleging failures in the vetting of the donor organ. The University of Toledo Medical Center said in a statement that a review determined 'all established safety protocols and best practices were properly followed.' For Kim Martin, the tragedy remains almost impossible to comprehend. When she later learned that another man had died after receiving one of her husband's donated organs, she was devastated. 'My jaw just dropped,' she said. 'I would just apologize. We didn't do this on purpose. We didn't know.' The comments below have not been moderated. 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