Home > Entertainment

Selena Gomez thanking her best friend for 'saving my life' is the purest thing you'll see today

"Protect them at all costs."

Gianluca Mezzofiore

on December 1, 2017

Selena Gomez thanking her best friend for 'saving my life' is the purest thing you'll see today

Selena Gomez (L) and Francia Raisa attend Billboard Women In Music 2017. Credit: Getty Images for Billboard

In September, Selena Gomez revealed in a candid Instagram post that she had a kidney transplant due to her lupus and her best friend and fellow actress Francia Raisa donated a kidney to her.

I’m very aware some of my fans had noticed I was laying low for part of the summer and questioning why I wasn’t promoting my new music, which I was extremely proud of. So I found out I needed to get a kidney transplant due to my Lupus and was recovering. It was what I needed to do for my overall health. I honestly look forward to sharing with you, soon my journey through these past several months as I have always wanted to do with you. Until then I want to publicly thank my family and incredible team of doctors for everything they have done for me prior to and post-surgery. And finally, there aren’t words to describe how I can possibly thank my beautiful friend Francia Raisa. She gave me the ultimate gift and sacrifice by donating her kidney to me. I am incredibly blessed. I love you so much sis. Lupus continues to be very misunderstood but progress is being made. For more information regarding Lupus please go to the Lupus Research Alliance website: www.lupusresearch.org/ -by grace through faith

A post shared by Selena Gomez (@selenagomez) on Sep 14, 2017 at 3:07am PDT

"She gave me the ultimate gift and sacrifice by donating her kidney to me," Gomez said.

Now, Gomez brought her friend with her to the 2017 Billboard Women in Music event, where she was awarded "Woman of the Year."

This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.

In her speech, Gomez welled up in thanking her friend and kidney donor.

This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.

"I think Francia should be getting this award because she saved my life," she said. "I feel incredibly lucky. Honestly, I couldn't be more grateful for the position that I've been given in my career from 7 to 14 to now."

Mashable Top Stories

Stay connected with the hottest stories of the day and the latest entertainment news.

By clicking Sign Me Up, you confirm you are 16+ and agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.

Thanks for signing up!

'I want people to know that I respect the platform that I have so deeply because I knew that I wanted to be a part of something great, I wanted people to feel great."

"Specifically this year, I would like to thank my amazing team and my family because they stuck with me through some really hard times," Gomez continued. "I got to do a lot this year, even though I had a couple of other things to do."

Before the award ceremony, on the red carpet, Raisa was asked about the most challenging part of her experience of being a kidney donor.

This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.

"What's scary is knowing she was two weeks away from kidney failure and I didn't find out until after the surgery," Raisa said. "Just seeing my friend get sick, and more sick, and more sick was hard but at the same time so positive for our friendship. It got us closer but I also learned so much this year about myself. It was a very humbling experience."

People were moved to tears to see Selena and Francia's friendship: