My name is Sean Libby, and I served honorably in the United States Marine Corps as a 1341 Heavy Equipment Diesel Mechanic from 2009-2013. I completed four years of service and left the Corps as an E4 / Corporal. In 2012, I deployed to Afghanistan from February to August, where I earned the Afghanistan Campaign Medal with one Bronze Star device.
The part of my service I valued most was the deployment experience, the camaraderie with my fellow Marines, and the sense of discipline, purpose, and honor that came with wearing the uniform. My time in the Marines shaped who I am, and I still carry those values with me every day.
After leaving the military, I worked in several fields, including cooking, wooden boatbuilding, labor consulting, and most recently as a service advisor in the automotive industry. I found real satisfaction in helping customers understand their repairs and ensuring their vehicles were safe through proper diagnostics and maintenance.
I continued working through dialysis until June 2024, when the severity of my kidney failure made it impossible to continue. Losing the ability to work has been one of the hardest parts of this illness, because I’ve always taken pride in staying productive and contributing wherever I can.
I’m grateful to share my life with my girlfriend, Tricia, who has been a constant source of support through this journey. I don’t have children, but I am close to my aunt Morgan, who raised me, and to both of my sisters and their children. My family has stood by me through the challenges of kidney failure, and I hope to regain enough health to be fully present with them again.
I was first diagnosed with FSGS and IgA nephropathy in 2017 while receiving care through the VA. Over the years, my kidney function slowly declined, and by February 2023 I had progressed to end-stage renal disease and needed dialysis. In 2024, during a VA claim review, I learned that my kidney disease was considered connected to burn pit exposure during my military service.
I was diagnosed with End-Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) in February 2023. I began dialysis in May 2023. first with peritoneal dialysis, which unfortunately failed, and now in-center hemodialysis three times a week.
Kidney failure has caused persistent fatigue, blood pressure instability, and left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) with related heart complications. These symptoms limit my energy, mobility, and ability to safely manage daily tasks without planning around dialysis and recovery time. A kidney transplant would restore opportunities that dialysis has taken away and prevent further decline of my heart health.
Despite the physical limitations, I try to stay connected to the things that bring meaning to my life by spending time with Tricia, caring for my German Shepherd, Mia, and deepening my relationship with God and attending church. I also like working on my project car and reading, and self-improvement.
I am fortunate to have strong support from two of my closest friends, Joey and David. They have been with me through the hardest parts of my health journey—showing up, checking in, and helping me navigate the day-to-day impact of kidney failure. Their encouragement and consistency have been a large part of keeping me grounded and hopeful.
I am exploring the possibility of starting my own business someday. I am also hoping to return to school using the rest of my GI Bill before it expires in 2028.
After a transplant, I look forward to regaining the energy to work again, being more active, traveling, and simply living without being controlled by dialysis treatments.
I would be forever grateful for the chance to live life fully again.
Thank you for taking the time to read my story and for considering becoming a living donor.
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 Sean‘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