Francia Raisa Is "Beyond Grateful" to Donate Her Kidney to Selena Gomez: Inside Their Life-Changing Bond

Teen star donates kidney to fellow actress and friend diagnosed with Lupus

By Samantha Schnurr Sep 14, 2017 5:48 PMTags

When a friend offers you their kidney, your bond is forever. 

Such was the case between Selena Gomez and Francia Raisa, fellow stars and friends who were at each other's side when life took a turn. As the songstress surprisingly announced on social media Thursday morning, Gomez underwent a kidney transplant as a result of her Lupus and needed a new organ to improve her "overall health." However, fans had noticed she spent some of the summer out of the spotlight despite releasing new music, so Gomez clarified that she had been recovering from the secret surgery.

Who was the kidney donor, you ask? None other than her "beautiful friend," the 29-year-old Secret Life of the American Teenager star. "She gave me the ultimate gift and sacrifice by donating her kidney to me," Gomez wrote of Raisa. "I am incredibly blessed. I love you so much sis."

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Gomez's "sis" soon responded to the news, explaining how "grateful" she is to be able to impact Gomez's life in this way. "I am beyond grateful that God would trust me with something that not only saved a life, but changed mine in the process. This was part of our story, and we will share it soon, but what is important now is that this is not the only story," Raisa wrote. 

"For more information regarding Lupus, please go to the Lupus Research Alliance website: www.lupusresearch.org -- Love you sis, so glad we're on this journey together."

A post shared by Francia Raísa (@franciaraisa) on

For some who haven't been paying close attention to the "Bad Liar" singer's inner circle, Raisa has been there for the 25-year-old pop star since her earlier years in the business. Rewind to around 2007, the two teen actresses met when Disney and Freeform (formerly ABC Family) had the stars of their shows visit a children's hospital together. As Raisa told Latina, "Selena and I were in the same group and we just clicked."

Since that time, the two have built what appears to be an unbreakable bond. "Met you when you were 15 and u became family to me when you were 16. since then you have changed my life and i've become a better person. I love you and am beyond grateful to be a part your life cuz girl... we in our 20's," Raisa wrote to her famous bestie in honor of her birthday in 2013.  

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Selena Gomez Gets a Kidney Transplant From Francia Raisa
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Three years later, the young women were forging ahead and offering each other a shoulder to lean on when times got tough. "I went through heartbreak this year and you left the studio and drove out of your way to come see me and comfort me. I received good news last month and you facetimed me minutes before you went up on stage just to congratulate me. There are so many moments we have and things you do that I cherish and don't take for granted," Raisa penned to Gomez last summer.

"[Whether] its crying, laughing, or simply sitting on my kitchen floor throwing our hands up in the air confused at life, I'm thankful you're always there. I am obsessed with every memory we've built in the last 8 years and the ones we have yet to create. I am so grateful that God put you in my life when he did. If you think about the time that we met and where we were in our lives when we first hung out, his timing was perfect. It's been so inspiring watching you grow and to grow with you."

As Raisa wrote to her "hermanita" in 2014, "We're in this crazy life together. Our story is like no other. #always&forever."

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