11-year-old Houston boy meets San Diego man who saved his life

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- On Saturday, an 11-year-old Houston boy met the man who helped him beat a rare blood disorder, beta thalassemia.

Rushi Gandhi was dependent on frequent blood transfusions for 10 years while he waited for a matching donor. He finally received a bone marrow transplant from Dr. Ketan Bakriwala of San Diego.

Bakriwala joined the Be The Match registry after seeing an ad on social media. To his surprise, weeks later, he got a call about being a potential match for a child in need.

After an evaluation, Bakriwala donated his bone marrow in San Diego, and the following day, those cells were given to Rushi in Houston. The transplant cured Rushi's disorder, giving him a chance at a normal childhood.

So on Saturday, Bakriwala traveled to Houston to meet Rushi and his family for the first time.

"I'm honored to be here," said Bakriwala. "If it were me, I'd want it. If it were my kids, I'd want it. I'm thankful for the opportunity. I'm glad I got a chance to help someone out."

Watch them meet for the first time in the video player above.