LUBBOCK, Texas — Texas Tech University Professor Jeff Hanson, a mechanical engineering instructor known for his millions of YouTube views and close ties with students, is restarting his search for a kidney donor after a hopeful match was disqualified at the final stage.
Hanson had already drawn support from more than 100 current and former students willing to donate. Among the first to volunteer was Jennifer Cox, now a senior engineering manager at Boeing, who described Hanson as a mentor who pushed her to pursue her dreams. Cox made it to the final approval step but was disqualified after a surgeon discovered an issue in one of her scans.
Hanson said the news was heartbreaking. “And that’s when she got denied, there at the very last step. So, it just crushed her. And me, too,” he said. Cox added, “We were this close. And now he’s got to start over. And that scares me.”
The professor is again seeking a donor with A positive or O blood type. Meanwhile, students continue supporting him in creative ways, from offering homes for his recovery to fundraising efforts through GoFundMe and local business campaigns. Student Avery Pickrell has also started a campus advocacy group, Student Organ Donation Advocates, inspired by Hanson’s journey.
Despite the setback, Hanson remains optimistic and committed to his students. “I’ll die with a marker in my hand one day. It’s going to be alright, I’ve got big angels that are watching after me, they’re working overtime,” he said. Hanson emphasized the meaningful bond that would come with a life-saving donor: “For me, that is the most important thing about getting something like this, is the bond that you’re going to form with that person. They’re saving your life, so, you’re going to be really close to that person.”
