I want to express my deep gratitude to everyone who has shared my story and supported my search for a living donor. A special thank you goes out to those who have stepped forward—it truly means the world to me that you are even considering helping. I was diagnosed with kidney disease back in 1986, and my kidneys worked fine until 2022 when I had to start dialysis. Dialysis keeps me alive, but it’s like a full-time job that never gives me a break—it makes life feel anything but free.
My wife, Tracey, is my rock, and together we’ve built a wonderful family with four kids and 11 amazing grandkids. Spending time with them brings me so much joy, yet kidney disease limits what I can do. I’ve always believed in serving others, from enlisting in the military at 17 and serving for nine years to living my everyday life with passion. I dream of traveling, boating, and camping during my retirement, and a transplant would be life-changing by giving me that freedom. If you’d like to learn more about living donation, please visit my website at https://giftworksuuh.com/michaelm/, where you can connect with someone who has been through the process. Even if you can’t donate, sharing my story with others could help me find that special person who will save my life. Thank you for your ongoing support and kindness!
Right now, there has been no news of a donor being identified. I know it can take time. However, I plan to remain proactive by sharing my story as much as possible. You sharing it allows me to reach more people. The more people I can reach, the better chance I have of connecting with that one person who may consider stepping forward as my living donor.
