Let me start by saying hello!
My name is Cesar A. Santamaria. I am a US Marine Corp combat veteran, a father, a husband, and now a grandfather. I was born on November 24, 1963. I seemed fit and I used to work out at the gym to stay healthy. Then in October of 2020, I received a call from the VA kidney specialist telling me that I will be needing dialysis. At that moment I felt as though my whole world just caved in. I was in total shock, disbelief, and confused. Prior to being notified by my kidney specialist of my condition, I had been going to the VA since 2016. I was diagnosed with chronic kidney disease due to hypertension, PTSD, and water contamination.
In 1981, I joined the Marine Corps straight out of high school. I was stationed in Camp Geiger, North Carolina. I served for 4 ½ years with 2nd battalion 8th Marines, 3rd platoon Golf Company. On October 24 of 1983, I was part of the amphibious landing on the island of Grenada, which had been invaded. After two weeks of combat, the Marines with the Navy, Air Force, and Army support were able to free the people of the Island of Grenada.
Afterward, we sailed to Beirut, Lebanon, where we had just lost 300 Marines to a terrorist truck bomb. The Marines were sleeping inside of the headquarter building when it was struck by the terrorists. We served eleven months in Beirut under intense firefights and the loss of fellow Marines, including my previous squad leader Sergeant Cox. I was only 18 years old at the time—a young kid from Brooklyn, New York. I don’t regret joining the Marines, nor do I regret serving my country. I fought for our freedom and the right for democracy to continue to exist for the United States and abroad.
I have had my share of pain, laughs, sorrows, happiness, sadness, and all feelings that you can imagine. I have seen the best and the worst of times and lived a productive life in spite of it all. I am grateful to have completed my military term and used it wisely in the civilian world. The military showed and trained me how to be a better person, where I learned responsibility and leadership—thanks to the Corps.
After my military service, I was able to advance up the chain of command in my first job. I got into a contractor company performing telecommunications as a service technician. After six months on the job, I was promoted to a working foreman and then shortly after, I was promoted to take a project coordinator position. I continued to mature and grow as a leader in the company which I worked for, for 15 years. I managed 186 employees and rose to the position of Division Manager. The hard struggles that I went through in my earlier years had finally paid off.
I was able to support my family, purchase a home and relocate to a better neighborhood where we raised our children. I was only 29 years old with four children and a beautiful wife. I had everything that a man could want and dream of. Unfortunately, the company where I’d worked for 15 years got sold in 2001 and therefore, I had to make some difficult decisions for myself and my family. The new company had laid off most of the management and they wanted to take the business in a different direction, which meant that I also had to leave. Life suddenly became difficult. We struggled to make ends meet. I was out of a job; my mortgage fell 3 months behind. It was the worst of times from 2000-2004.
I then decided to open my own contracting company. Why not? I had all of the experience, customer base, and previous employees that used to work for me. I started small with three technicians and within a year, I had 33 techs. The business kept growing every year more and more. Unfortunately, in November 2010, we had to shut down our Cable TV operations due to my health conditions.
In 2024, I was examined and the doctor told me that I had severe hypertension, which was affecting my kidneys and as a result, my kidneys were 50% functional. Another discovery was that I had GOUT. Gout is a form of inflammatory arthritis which causes sharp pain that gets worse if not treated immediately. You have to maintain a healthy diet in order to suppress it.
Knowing my kidneys were at 50%, I asked my doctor for a kidney specialist but was told that I didn’t need one. Unfortunately, it has been nearly a year now since the day that I received the phone call. My kidney function is now at 7%. I have done so much in a year to try to fight an uphill battle against time. I have lost over 20 lbs. I used to weigh 186 lbs. Now I weigh 158 lbs.
My desire is to live a normal life like everyone else. Be happy and thankful for having my kids, my family, and now two grandchildren. I am a young grandfather!!! I just hope and pray that I will be able to see them grow up. They have given me so much inspiration and strength when I needed it the most. Their names are Elliot and Noah. Elliot is five years old and Noah two and a half years old. I pray every day to the heavens above for all this.
I am a good person by nature. I love to help people in need and look to always contribute to society. We raised our kids to respect, love, and cherish life. Raised them to believe in themselves and in God. Raised them to have faith, compassion, and understanding. We raised them with so much love! Ever since 2017, I stopped working. My kids have become my caregivers. They are constantly watching over me. Making sure I am fed, caring for myself, etc.
My family is searching for other ways in hopes of finding a donor. I know it is not easy to donate a kidney. For now, I am grateful to my Lord for the life that I still have, I cherish every morning, every day, and every breath I take. I have always lived in faith, and I know that I am in His hands.
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 Cesar’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