LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Three weeks ago we introduced you to Chase Best. He is an assistant basketball coach at Corydon High School and was surprised during their senior game half time, that he'd be receiving a new kidney.
His donor is Jake Yonkers, an old baseball coach of Chases and the only person that knew going into that game, was his wife, Heather Best.
The feeling in the air was different that night and the crowds were filled with green shirts, all supporting Chase.
Chase and Jake were supposed to go into surgery at Jewish Hospital in Louisville, on Tuesday, March 17, but on Monday they got the call from the transplant team. The surgery had been postponed with no exact future date of when it would be rescheduled.
"To see him so excited, to get to start a new chapter of his life, and then for it to be taken away again has been really hard," said Heather Best. "I think Jake was just as upset as Chase was, the day that we got the news."
For the second time, his transplant surgery wasn't happening as scheduled, only this time, in the wake of a pandemic.
"It's a combination of everything. For one, my health after the transplant, but also the resources right now," Chase said.
But Chase and Heather say it's a blessing in disguise. They needed every reason to celebrate his new kidney, not every doubt to question his health post-surgery.
"We know we still have our donor thankfully. Ya know Jake and Shannon are right there for us," Chase said. "So, it's going to happen, it's just ya know when is it going to happen? That's the frustrating part right now."
Three weeks ago the schools gym was filled with family, friends and people in the community, moved by what they just witnessed. That support has only continued through this bump in the road.
"We can't be in contact with people so we're checked on probably hourly, if we need anything, can they do anything," Heather said.
The virus has changed their every day for the foreseeable future, but they won't let it change the outcome.
"We'll get through this," Heather said.
►Contact reporter Jessie Cohen at JCohen@whas11.com and follow her on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram.