3 when most people think back on their education, they can probably remember a teacher who changed their life.that's certainly true for tippecanoe county commissioner tom murtaugh.it recently led him to a big decision.news 18's demie johnson shares why he felt compelled to reconnect with former lafayette jeff football coach dave knott - and the result could save a life.

3this isn't the first time dave knott and tom murtaugh have sat across from each other.

Dave knott: "i came to lafayette in 1976 as the football coach at jeff high school and the math teacher."

Tom murtaugh: "i had him for both geometry and economics."

It's been nearly 40 years since the former student and teacher shared a classroom.

Knott and murtaugh agree they really haven't kept in touch...but certain things have kept them connected.tom murtaugh: "he's a wabash grad and i'm a wabash grad."

Dave knott: "i've seen him over the years at the ymca, we both go there almost daily and we'd pass eachother and say hello."

Soon the two will share another connection, a much deeper one.dave knott:"it didn't show up until i was give or take about 65 years old and it gets worse and worse to the point where they say the only solution is to get a new kidney."

Demie: murtaugh says he never thought about organ donation before.

Until one of his friends just happened to share this post on facebook.it's a call out message from one of knott's daughters hoping it would lead to a donor for her dad.tom murtaugh: "it almost seemed to be fate, and i saw the post and it just kind of struck me and for the next couple of days i just thought about it" two weeks later, after doing some research, murtaugh decided to start the process.

Tom murtaugh:"the whole process took months really i started in october then it wasn't until february i got the all clear, that's when i made the decision to notify the family that i was a match."

A match that all started with a few connections.

Tom murtaugh:" the ymca, and wabash college and jeff and so on and so forth ...and it just makes me proud of this community."

Connections that seemed small at the time, but will now make a world of difference.dave knott:"there aren't words to describe how thankful i am that tom is willing to do this for me because it's going to change my life."

Reporting in lafayette, demie johnson news 18.

3 the transplant is set for march 28th.the recovery time for each person can take anywhere from 2 to 8 weeks.we will have more information on iu health's living donor program, later this evening on our website, wlfi.com