My Kidney Story & Six Words
Six words changed everything: “Dad, I need a kidney transplant.”
I’m Vincent La Padula — a recovering addict, once homeless, now a living kidney donor through a paired donor chain, and a Top 8 Finalist in the International Brotherhood of Magicians Gold Cups competition.
My kidney story didn’t start in a hospital. It started years earlier at rock bottom — when my life felt broken beyond repair.
What followed was recovery, restored faith, rebuilt relationships, and eventually a simple, terrifying, beautiful question: “What if I could help save someone else’s life?”
That question became Six Words — my most personal magic routine, a story of sacrifice, second chances, and the kind of love that costs something.
Watch Six Words, the routine that helped earn Vincent a Top 8 Finalist spot in the I.B.M. Gold Cups competition.
From Broken to Giving
My story includes addiction, homelessness, and hitting rock bottom. It also includes recovery, returning to faith, restored relationships, and eventually, kidney donation.
I didn’t wake up one day and decide, “I want to donate a kidney.” It was a series of small, halting yeses: yes to getting help, yes to accountability, yes to community, yes to a new identity, and eventually, yes to the possibility that my life could be used to help someone else live.
My daughter and I were an exact match. But together, we made a different choice — to enter the paired donor program so she could receive a younger kidney with the potential to last longer. That one decision became part of an eight-surgery donor chain, impacting eight lives and eight families. And today, my kidney is still doing great in Minnesota.
Six Words is the magic routine born out of that journey. It’s not just a trick — it’s a living illustration of sacrifice, grace, and the kind of love that costs you something and gives back more than you can measure.
“A powerful story of giving.”
— Event Attendee
“Amazing storytelling. Love how you took us on this journey!”
— Audience Feedback
Who This Talk Is For
My kidney story and Six Words resonate deeply in rooms where courage, compassion, sacrifice, and second chances matter.
- Medical and transplant teams
- Hospitals, transplant centers, and donor networks
- Nonprofits focused on organ donation, recovery, or mental health
- Faith communities exploring sacrifice, grace, and calling
- Conferences and events centered on resilience, wellness, and hope
It’s not a sterile medical talk. It’s a deeply human story — a mix of vulnerability, humor, faith, and a powerful magical illustration people remember long after the event.
Bring Hope to Your Audience
Whether you're planning a transplant conference, hospital event, medical symposium, nonprofit fundraiser, faith gathering, or leadership conference, I'd love to talk about how this story can inspire your audience.
Check Date & AvailabilityPrefer to reach out directly?
📧 booking@vincentdoesmagic.com
I personally respond to every inquiry—usually within 24 hours.