TV host Ellen DeGeneres surprised a Minnesota family in a segment airing today on "The Ellen DeGeneres Show."
Ellen patched in a live shot with Stacey Elsenpeter, of Andover, and her three children: Zachary, Austin and Kylie. Elsenpeter jumped up and down upon seeing DeGeneres on her computer screen, shouting "This is not real!"
The single mom spoke with Ellen about Zach's medical troubles. He was born with kidney failure and has had more than 70 surgeries. Elsenpeter couldn't donate her own kidney to Zach because they were not a match, so she joined a kidney-parent exchange.
Elsenpeter wound up donating her kidney to a stranger, and three years later, another stranger donated to Zach.
Now 13, Zach told Ellen, "I'm feeling awesome, ever since I got that kidney."
Correspondent Jeannie was on site in Andover, shivering outside Elsenpeter's home in a winter coat.
But Ellen already knew about the weather in Minnesota. Her wife, actress Portia de Rossi, was in town last week, staying at the Hewing Hotel and stopping into the Herbivorous Butcher.
"Portia was just in Minneapolis last week so I know it's freezing there," Ellen said.
Jeannie's camera fogged up as she entered the house and played "Let's Make a Trade" with the family. In exchange for showing their Christmas stockings, they got tickets to one of Ellen's "12 Days of Giveaways" episodes, in which audience members win big prizes.
The family credited Ellen with helping them get through those tough times.
Ellen, of course, had a hilarious response.
"This is the kind of commitment — listen to me everybody — this is the kind of commitment I need from my viewers," the host quipped. "Even though he's been in and out of the hospital, he does not stop watching my show. That's what I want, that's what I need."
