Off I ride my motorcycle into the wild blue yonder. Rolling through the hills, valleys, turns and straight aways chasing The Road Not Taken. In the search of the wind in my face and the sun on my back and the blue skies in front of me. Zooming to meet peace and wind therapy wherever it might take me.
I served ten years in the US Air Force and worked as an Assistant Dedicated Crew Chief of the KC-135 R&T. Assisting with inspections, supporting maintenance, maintaining aircraft readiness, ensuring safety, team management, learning from the Dedicated Crew Chief, and stepping in for the DCC. I reached the rank of Senior Airman (SRA) before my honorable discharge in 2013. One of the things I enjoyed most during my military career was visiting different countries and trying the variety of foods.
I have worked at Lowes of Wheeling, WV for about ten years. Right now I’m a cashier down in lumber as a Pro Services cashier. I help the contractors and non-contractors find and ring out the products they need. If the customers need extra help, I lead them to the Pro Services team to help with their needs. One thing about being a cashier in lumber is seeing what people are buying to start or finish a project that is going to make their life better. Once I receive a transplant, and I am back at full strength, I would like to become a Department Manager and work my way up to Assistant Store Manager.
My many hobbies include fishing, hunting, off-road mudding side by side, steel target shooting, and riding my motorcycle. I would like to go out on the motorcycle with the wind in my face. Going out by myself without having someone else riding with me. I belong to the American legion post 525 out of Adena, Ohio and the American legion riders post 366 out of Flushing, Ohio.
When I was in the Air Force, my first known abnormal urine test result was in May 2011. This was before deployment. They called about the results for a follow-up appointment, but I was already on deployment. Sadly, I was never contacted about following up and life moved on. In 2019, I failed a DOT physical and made an appointment with my doctor, had repeated labs and was eventually sent to a urologist in 2021.
I started with the VA in January 2023. The doctors were concerned about how quickly my kidneys were deteriorating. I had my PD training in April 2023 and started home peritoneal dialysis afterwards. After I developed a double hernia and PD was not cleaning my blood well enough, I was told I had to go on hemodialysis. I am now going to the center three times per week for dialysis and will be reliant on dialysis until I receive a transplant.
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 Brad’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 his life and the life of his family!
Please click on the link below if you would like to learn more OR call (551) 233-1611