Harriet Whitaker

An early Covid-19 victim in Chattanooga saves the life of another infected victim in South Carolina.

Her post-virus plasma was a life saver.

Today the women met for the first time.

News 12 now a chattanooga coronavirus survivor has helped save the life of a south carolina woman by donating her plasma.

News 12's joeli poole spoke with both women about what this means to give back.

Harriett whitaker was just the third person in hamilton county to be diagnosed with the coronavirus.

Her husband was the first.

After recovering from covid-19, whitaker says that her doctors started talking to her about the possibility of her plasma saving others stricken with the virus.

Thankful for her own recovery, whitaker was anxious to donate and hopeful that her plasma could save others.

Harriett whitaker / donated plasma "as soon as i could come down here, i started donating.

But i am just so happy to know that it helped you the way that it did.

It's just hard to describe what it feels like to save somebody's life.

Across state lines in south carolina, lisa hardin, was diagnosed with the covid-19 and pneumonia, she was in respiratory failure and in danger of losing her life.

Hardin says the doctors tried several options but with no success.

That's when she heard that she was receiving a plasma donation from a coronavirus survivor in chattanooga, tn.

Lisa hardin/ plasma recipient " i know that somebody cared enough to go donate and try to give me their immunity to help me fight this freakin virus.

When i got your antibodies in the bag, it was just a bag of gold."

Both women are now healthy, and on tuesday morning hardin met whitaker over zoom to thank her for her selflessness.

Hardin "knowing that people like you go and donate your plasma, give it to a total stranger.

You changed by life and i know it saved my life.

I just want to thank you and let you know i'm going to be your friend forever haha."

Joeli poole "hardin says that as soon as she is cleared by her doctor, she will return whitaker's favor by donating her plasma to save the life of someone else.

For more information on how to donate plasma go to wdef dot com.

In hamilton county, joeli poole, news 12 now" the covid-19 task