Susan Wood, 73, survived a deadly November 2025 house fire in Dallas that claimed her husband's life and is now searching for a living kidney donor. (Credit: FOX 5 Atlanta)
DALLAS, Ga. - A retired nurse who survived a fatal house fire in Dallas is searching for a living kidney donor after severe smoke inhalation led to complete kidney failure.
Fatal Dallas house fire
What we know:
Susan Wood, 73, survived a five-hour house fire at her Dallas home on Nov. 11, 2025. The fire started in the fireplace and filled the house with thick smoke, preventing her from rescuing her husband or pet dog, who both died in the blaze.
Wood spent three months in a hospital burn unit on a ventilator while receiving excruciating skin grafts on her hands, along with treatments for severe burns to her back, feet, head and hands. During her recovery, doctors determined that the severe smoke inhalation caused kidney damage, leading to kidney failure.
Wood now undergoes regular dialysis treatments while searching for a living donor. Data from Duke Health shows that kidney transplants among seniors 65 and older have jumped sixfold since 2020.
Survivor describes recovery
What they're saying:
Wood recalled the horrifying moment the smoke overwhelmed her home as she tried to get help.
"The smoke got so thick that I couldn't breathe, and I thought, well, if I could go outside and call for, neighbors to come and help me, that they could help me get my husband out," Wood said.
Overwhelmed by grief and physical pain in the burn unit, Wood admitted she initially questioned her survival. "I said, let me die. Just let me die. I don't I don't want to live. I want to be with my husband," Wood recalled. "How could this happen? I mean, actually, I thought, why did God let this happen to if God got me out, why did he give me this?"
Living kidney donor search
What we don't know:
Medical providers have not confirmed how long Wood will remain on the active transplant waiting list before a potential donor match is found.
It remains unclear if any family members have been tested as potential matches for a direct living kidney donation.
Life after tragedy
What's next:
Despite undergoing constant dialysis, the retired nurse remains active and determined to rebuild her life for her family.
"Because I want to live my life. I want to go on and I want to I want to live my life. I want to be able to play with my grandsons. I have a lot of life left in me," Wood said. "Thinking about maybe going back to work, so, yeah. Because I'm not done yet."
So far, Wood has not been successful in connecting with matching living donor. You can be tested by reaching out to Emory Healthcare online here. You can also connect with Piedmont Healthcare online here.
The Source: The information in this story was gathered from a direct interview with fire survivor Susan Wood and senior kidney transplant statistical data from Duke Health.