LAPLACE — Greg Gathers and Christopher Wallace have known each other since they were 11 years old.

They grew up in the same LaPlace neighborhood and went to the same St. John the Baptist Parish schools.

As they grew older, the two men kept in touch through Facebook and occasionally bumped into each other.

Never did they dream that one day, one would potentially save the other’s life.

Gathers, the former East St. John High School and Georgia Tech standout football player who is now a teacher and coach, announced last summer that he was in need of a second kidney transplant.

The organ he had received from his mother in 2005 was failing, and he was back to receiving thrice weekly dialysis treatments.

Wallace heard about his old friend’s plight and decided he wanted to help.

Now, after several months of testing — and lots of prayer — Wallace is set to donate one of his kidneys to his childhood friend.

After a final round of pre-operative testing this week determined the two were “a perfect match,” surgery is set for Monday morning at Ochsner Hospital in Jefferson.

“There couldn’t be a better match,” Gathers said. “I am very thankful and humbled and grateful. He is my superhero. He is saving my life.”

Wallace said he’s just doing what anyone would do.

“Anyone who knows me knows this is just me,” said Wallace, 35. “If I can help anybody, I’ll do it. This is my way of paying it forward.”

Wallace was among a handful of friends and family members who agreed to have themselves tested after Gathers went public in July.

Gathers once appeared destined for gridiron greatness. A stellar defensive end at East St. John, he recorded 20 sacks his senior season.

He signed with Georgia Tech, starting every game as a true freshman and earning freshman All-America honors. By his junior season, he was the school’s all-time leader in sacks (31) and seemed destined for an NFL career.

Then he was diagnosed with focal segmental glomerulosclerosis, a leading cause of kidney failure in adults. His dreams of a career in the NFL dashed, Gathers began living a life around dialysis treatments.

In 2005, he was fortunate to receive a new kidney from his mother and set about living a normal life.

But in March of 2016, Gathers learned it too was failing.

Gathers’ wife, Danaya, said it has been difficult to watch her husband suffer. The couple has four children.

“He can’t play with his little boy like other dads,” Danaya said. “Last week our little girl had her first dance competition and he couldn’t make it. He didn’t get to see it. It’s just sad. I hurt for him.”

Gathers said he is grateful to have another opportunity to receive a healthy kidney, especially so quickly. Some patients wait on transplant lists for years.

“I’m excited and glad to be at this point,” he said. “Just the other day I met a man who has been waiting since 2001. I know I’m fortunate.”

Wallace said he is a little nervous about the procedure, although Gathers has put him in touch with other donors to ask questions. He said he had to do a lot of praying.

“I just said if it’s for me to do this, then everything will go the way it’s supposed to,” Wallace said. “I’m at peace about it. Greg is a father, a husband, he’s a father figure to all those young men he teaches and coaches in Ascension Parish. We need positive role models in our world. I’m happy to do this for him.”