MURFREESBORO, Tenn. (WKRN) — The world of TikTok has been changing Elijah’s Wilson’s life lately.

Over $55,000 has been raised for Wilson’s 12-year-old son, Leaven, who desperately needs a kidney transplant.

“June 21, I get the phone call that he went down in Target screaming and holding pain in his back, and throwing up because he was hurting so bad,” he said.

Wilson soon learned his son was in Stage 4 kidney failure.

“He only has 25 percent functionality left,” he said.

Genetic testing later revealed the failure was due to a chronic kidney disease.

“His disease completely scared out his kidneys, and what happened was his body outgrew his kidney function,” said Wilson. “So as he got older, his kidneys (they’re) like, ‘Alright, we give up, we’re done. We can’t do this.'”

Hospital visits and waiting for a kidney donor are taking a toll on both Leaven and his dad.

“It hurts,” said Wilson. “You see him everyday worn out. You go to call him and he’s too tired, or when he is awake you’re asleep. It’s tough. You’re trying to balance that.”

But TikTok and social media have helped Wilson not only fundraise and share his son’s story, but connect him with others going through the same thing.

“What I realized…the part that I was missing, the part that’s really going to help me is all these parents that have been through this,” he said.

While this journey is hard, Wilson knows he’ll do any and everything to find a donor for his son.

“As a parent, I can’t stop,” he said. “I’m not going to stop. I can’t fail my son.”

Leaven is currently in Denver with his mother undergoing treatments and waiting on his kidney transplant.

His father is hoping they can find a donor and have his transplant done by the summer so he can come home to Murfreesboro by the end of the year.

If you think you could be a match for Leaven, you can find more information here.

If you would like to make a donation through the Children’s Organ Transplant Association, you can do so here.