My name is Chérie, and if there is one thread that has woven my entire life together, it is service. Service to my country, my community, and the people I love. I joined the U.S. Navy in 1983 at 17, still a high school senior, eager to see the world and be part of something bigger than myself. I became a Torpedoman’s Mate Technician and worked hard to earn the reputation of a 4.0 Sailor. Those early years shaped my character: discipline, integrity, and a deep sense of purpose.
After eight years of active duty, I left the Navy in 1992 as a Petty Officer Second Class (E5), thinking I was ready for civilian life. But five years later, I felt a void, a missing sense of belonging that only service had ever filled. In 1997, I raised my right hand again, this time joining the U.S. Air Force Reserves as an Aerial Porter. Over the years, through overseas tours, training, and long stretches away from home, I found myself surrounded by Sailors and Airmen who became family. I reenlisted again in 2013 and ultimately retired in 2019, officially closing my military chapter in 2026 as a Senior Master Sergeant (E8). Of all the medals I earned, the ones closest to my heart are my Navy Good Conduct Medal and my Overseas Service Medals. They represent not just service, but service done well, and done with honor.
When I first left the Navy, I struggled to find my place until 1994, when I joined the Minneapolis Fire Department. The fire service felt like home, the camaraderie, the shared mission, the willingness to run toward what others run from. I rose through the ranks and eventually retired as a Battalion Chief in 2021. What meant the most to me wasn’t the titles; it was the privilege of helping people on what might be the worst day of their lives. It was another way to serve, another way to give back, another way to live out the values that shaped me.
But the greatest blessing in my life, the anchor that keeps me grounded, is my family. My spouse, my three children, my three grandchildren, my sisters, nieces, nephews, two lifelong best friends, my dogs, and a chosen circle of people who show me every day that goodness is real. They each influence me in different ways, teach me, support me, and keep me rooted in my faith. My faith was shaped by my parents and grandparents, all of whom have passed on but left a legacy of love, strength, and belief that I carry with me. After thirty‑six years and seven months living away from my East Coast family while serving in the military and working in the Midwest, returning home was one of the greatest joys of my life.
My kidney journey began in 2019 with what I thought was a simple back strain. By 2020, blood appeared in my urine, and after several misdiagnoses, imaging revealed something cloudy on my right kidney. I will never forget the moment the Head of Urology at the Minneapolis VA told me it was cancer. That phone call began an eight‑month period that changed everything.
In early 2021, after two months of intense chemotherapy, my right kidney was removed. In that same period, I retired from the fire department, moved back home with the help of two incredible Air Force friends, lost my father, and learned that I had chronic kidney disease, and that my remaining kidney, whom I affectionately call Carlos, had diminished capacity. Looking back, I see God’s hand in all of it. Cancer, in its own unexpected way, saved my life by revealing what had been silently happening since I was nineteen years old in the Navy.
Today, Carlos is still working, though not as strongly as he once did. I am not yet on dialysis, but I have prepared with my transplant team for the possibility. I am hopeful, prayerful, that a living donor might help me continue living the life I love.
Outside of my careers, I find joy in simple things: traveling, mentoring young people, reading, shooting hoops, planting flowers, playing in the dirt, and spending time with my family and my puppies. I look forward to the day when, with a new kidney, I can return to traveling and exploring the world again, this time with a deeper appreciation for every moment.
Asking for help is not easy for someone who has spent a lifetime being the one who serves. But today, I am humbly asking for someone to consider giving me the chance to keep living, loving, and serving. A kidney donation would not only extend my life, it would allow me to continue being present for my family, to mentor young people, to travel again, and to live out the purpose God has placed on my heart.
Thank you for taking the time to learn about me. Thank you for your compassion. And thank you for considering being part of my journey toward healing, hope, and continued service.
We need you to help us support Cherie. Whether through spreading the word on social media or considering becoming a donor, you can make a profound impact!
Living kidney donation has been proven to be safe. There are no long term consequences to the donor. After recovery, donors can live a normal life with one kidney.
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.
Please click on the link below if you would like to learn more OR call (551) 233-1611.