This is the emotional moment a mother whose son took his own life met the transplant patient who received his heart.
Rhonda Koch embraced Stephen Bosworth as he fought back tears during their meeting at Sydney Airport on Friday.
Mrs Koch’s son Ben tragically killed himself but his heart was donated to Stephen, who was on the transplant waiting list.
Mrs Koch, along with Mr Bosworth’s wife and two children, came together for a segment on Channel Nine’s The Today Show.
Michael and Rhonda Koch (left) met Stephen Bosworth (second right), the recipient of their late son’s heart on Friday, two years after their son’s tragic death
Mr Bosworth, from Newcastle suffered from heart failure and was fading fast when he got the call on July 18 2016 that saved his life.
A young man in South Australia had died and his heart was being flown from Adelaide to Sydney to give Mr Bosworth a second chance.
Transplant recipients are not told any personal details about their donors, but they are allowed to send a letter or gifts to the family.
The Bosworths decided to send Christmas gifts and a heartfelt thank you card to the Kochs via Donate Life.
They might never have met if it wasn’t for a Facebook group for recipients and donors, which they were both members of.
The Kochs managed to put two and two together after the Bosworths described the thank you letter and Christmas gifts they had send to their donor’s family.
After a year of speaking to each other on the phone, both families shed tears as they met face to face for the first time on Friday.
Mrs Koch took a moment to feel her son’s heart beating inside Mr Bosworth’s chest.
After a year of speaking to each other on the phone, Rhonda Koch shed tears when she met Stephen Bosworth for the first time on Friday
‘I’ve been waiting so long to meet these wonderful people. And say thank you for life. Thanks for giving me the chance to continue on,’ Mr Bosworth told the Kochs.
Both the Bosworths and Kochs said they now see each other as an extension of each other’s families.
Mrs Koch said Ben would be tickled pink and thrilled with what was happening and that he is still with them.
‘Ben’s death was a tragedy, it was devastating, where as Stephen was meant to live. It was meant to be,’ Mrs Koch said.
‘Call it faith, call it whatever. Ben’s heart was meant to be where it is right now.’
South Australian man Ben Koch (pictured) tragically took his own life in 2016
Her husband Michael added: ‘The loss of Ben was hard but to see Stephen and his children, they’ve got a dad now and they’re got the best years of their lives to come’.
Both families encouraged everyone to consider registering to become organ donors.
The meeting between the two families was organised as part of Qantas’ 98th birthday celebrations.