Hello, my name is Barbara Tibbs, and I retired from the military after 20 years of service. I entered into the United States Air Force as an Airman Basic in 1979 and retired as a Technical Sergeant in 1999. I was an Aircraft Maintenance Technician and worked on several aircraft frames, to include the F4E Phantom, F15 Eagle Keeper, O-2A Skymaster, and the OA-37B Dragonfly. I worked on the flight line for 14 years and spent the last six years of my career dedicated to the Command Post, where I was promoted to Senior Maintenance Controller and learned a new trade of Information Technology (IT).
I dedicated my life to the United States Air Force and was involved in many conflicts, with the last ones being Desert Shield and then Desert Storm. I was good at my job and received many awards and accolades. You see, I was an only child, and the military became my family. I love the Air Force. It taught me everything and made me the woman I am today.
When I got out of the Air Force, I became a Network Engineer for Hampton University and assisted in the development of the Proton Therapy Center. I ran the entire Network and IT department for the University from 1999 until I retired in 2016. In 2016, my doctor told me it was time to retire because I was sick.
I’m married with a stepdaughter, but I like to say a daughter. We enjoy spending family time exploring new things in the city and watching movies. My spouse works as a Safety Manager for the government and our daughter just graduated from Virginia Tech with a B.S. in Ecology, Evolution and Behavior.
My kidneys have been an issue since October 2016, but I’m not on dialysis. My hobbies are reading the Bible, studying history, crocheting, building model airplanes and model cars.
When I get my transplant, the first thing I want to do is have enough energy to go for a long walk. Then I want to travel. I want to see places that I’ve never seen before, like the mountains and I want to go canoeing.
For medically cleared donors, giving the gift of life through living kidney donation has been proven to be very safe. DOVE will assist all prospective donors throughout the process and make sure they do not incur any out-of-pocket expenses related to the evaluation or surgery. A healthy person can live a normal life with one kidney and save Barbara’s life with the other!
Your support, whether through spreading the word on social media or considering becoming a donor, can make a profound impact on her life and the life of her family!
Please click on the link below if you would like to learn more OR call (551) 233-1611