One man in Riverview, N.B., is feeling a little extra grateful with his new kidney donation after years on the waiting list.

Dan McLaughlin got the happy ending he'd been hoping for and he's got a new lease on life.

After years of waiting by the phone for news of a kidney donor Dan McLaughlin finally got the call and said he was overwhelmed.

"My wife and I both broke down," McLaughlin said. "We couldn't believe it."

During his time on the donor waiting list, he came up with his own creative way of asking for help.

He put a sticker on the back of his car encouraging anyone with type O blood to give him a call.

McLaughlin's kidney disease meant 12 hours a night on dialysis and chronic fatigue.

"It's like you're carrying a 100-pound weight on your shoulders and every time you stop you have to sit down almost immediately," McLaughlin said.

No matter how many people tried to help with a donation, they were either screened out for health issues or simply not a perfect match.

But at the beginning of this month, McLaughlin packed his bags for Halifax where he later received his kidney donation from a deceased donor.

After his surgery, he woke up in disbelief.

"And I think 'OK, this really happened!' at the moment, it could have been the drugs, but I felt the colours were brighter in the room. It felt easier to breathe," said McLaughlin.

While in the hospital, he also met the person who he calls his "kidney twin."

"I met the person who received the left kidney," he said. "I also met the person who received the liver. And it's just that much more touching, because you realize what this person gave, upon their death."

McLaughlin says it's proof that altruism does exist and every day since then has been better.

Dan says having his kidney surgery has given him a whole new perspective on life and he's ready to live what he calls a "normal lifestyle" and enjoy the simple things.

"I can get up any time of the night, I can go out and look at the stars," McLaughlin said. "I can go out and sit in the gazebo in the evening with my wife; just these little things I couldn't do before."

He's now focused on maintaining a heart-healthy diet and enjoying time with his family.

"At 60 years old, being given a second life, I'm certainly going to take care of this gift that I've received," McLaughlin said.

He says there are still several medical appointments to go, and it'll be six months before he heads back to work, but, for now, he's enjoying his new normal and a gift he'll treasure forever.

With files from CTV Atlantic's Kate Walker.