My name is Russell Molino, although most people call me Russ. I was born in 1957 and raised in Ontario, California, where I attended the Ontario school district and graduated from Chaffey High School in 1975. Just 20 days after graduation, I enlisted in the United States Marine Corps. I served as an Aviation Ordnance Munitions Technician (MOS 6521) and attained the rank of Lance Corporal. While I am not a combat veteran, I deployed to Okinawa, Japan, in support of an Air Force helicopter squadron. I enlisted for four years but served three before I was honorably and medically discharged following a severe ankle injury. Today, I live with significant disabilities related to my service.
After leaving the Marine Corps, I began a 15-year career as a truck driver. Eventually, severe back pain led me to make a career change. At the time, I did not know that I was also dealing with kidney problems. I entered the logistics field as a warehouse worker and quickly advanced into warehouse supervision and management. I spent the next 25 years building a career in logistics.
In 1994, I was hospitalized with kidney stones, and that was when I was diagnosed with polycystic kidney disease. My kidney disease has progressed over the years, and I have now been on dialysis for one year. Living with disability was already difficult, but dialysis has made life even more challenging. So much of our daily life now revolves around my treatments and my health.
My wife, Sherri, has been by my side through all of it. We have been married for 33 years, and together we have five children, two boys and three girls, and 15 grandchildren. Sherri and I retired in 2017 and moved to Illinois. In 2019, I was diagnosed with cancer. After two years of treatment, I am grateful to say that I have now been in remission for five years.
Our faith is a very important part of our lives. Sherri and I are devoted Christians, and we serve as greeters at our church and volunteer with the church food pantry, helping provide food and support to people in our community. For 15 years, we also rode motorcycles together as members of the Soldiers for Jesus Motorcycle Club. We traveled through many states, sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ along the way. Those rides gave us some of the most meaningful memories of our lives.
Today, dialysis limits how much we can ride and how much we can do, so we spend most of our time at home. But one thing that has never changed is that Sherri and I enjoy being together. We have always been a team, and we have never allowed the challenges we have faced to separate us.
I am looking forward to the day when I am blessed with a kidney transplant. I dream of having the freedom to spend more time with my wife, our children, and our grandchildren, getting back on our motorcycles, serving our community, and simply being able to enjoy life without dialysis controlling our days.
We need you to help us support Russ. 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.