An East Atlantic Beach native donated her kidney to save her co-worker’s life at North Shore University Hospital in Manhasset on Feb. 10.
Maggie Goodman, 34, a sixth grade special education teacher at IS 73 in Maspeth, got tested when she heard that co-worker, Thomas Coveney, 47, suffered from focal segmental glomerulosclerosis and was in need for a transplant, the hospital said.
Coveney, who is an 8th grade history teacher, said she was always cordial to Goodman in the past but the two were hardly friends.
“This was both unexpected and amazing,” said Coveney, a married father of one. “It’s such a relief. It brought back my faith in humanity. There are good people willing to do selfless things.”
Members of Coveney’s family were tested to be donors, but none were a close enough match. Coveney’s mother took to Facebook to make a post about her son’s kidney transplant. Goodman, did not know she was friends with Coveney on social media, but jumped on the chance to help when she saw the post.
“Being in service to others is a credo at Boston College,” said Goodman, who went there for undergrad. “I was in a unique position to help. It was meant to be.”
The successful transplant surgery was performed by Dr. Aaron Winnick on Feb. 10.
Coveney rested four days and was released from the Northwell facility on Feb. 14.
Goodman is already back in the classroom while Coveney plans to return in May.
The Northwell Transplant Institute performed 207 adult kidney transplants in 2024 and is No. 1 in New York state for three-year patient survival, based on the Scientific Registry of Transplant Recipients reports from Jan. 2025.
