Shelby Raider

While on a mission I needed to be medevac’d to receive medical attention, and there they found I had a back problem and had to be removed from combat. Since I had typing skills, they gave me an office job as the equipment status person reporting to the commanding officer, which I really enjoyed, Doing recon missions in the field and being picked up by helicopter was exciting and also very scary to experience, but I was proud to have served my country!

I have a resume of many different jobs I worked over the years. I was a manager at Burger King; a radio disc jockey; swat equipment salesman and trainer; and quasi copilot on a UH1N helicopter in the Bahamas for a DOD Subcontractor. My last employment was a part time position with The Home Depot in my town of Jupiter, Florida that turned into a 27-year career.

In 1992 it was discovered that my right kidney was enlarged and only functioning at 22% due to a narrowed ureter at birth. I was repaired surgically and worked fine until 2021. While at a urology checkup they found blood no longer flowed to my kidney. it’s still there with no function. In February 2020, I contracted Covid 19 and ended up in the ER due to difficulty breathing. I was put into a coma for two months and was on a ventilator for 28 of those days. During that time my kidneys failed, and I was told I would be reliant on dialysis for the rest of my life.

Fifteen years ago, my wife had learned about a special diet someone else had success with, so we decided to follow it, too. My kidney numbers improved quickly and to this day I am not on dialysis, even though I am still in Stage 5 kidney failure.

Sadly, my wife died in my arms in August 2024, and I miss her dearly. I have a stepson and two step grandchildren I stay in touch with. I may be 76, but I still have so much life to live and know that my time is running out to receive a kidney transplant. I am hoping for the opportunity to live a normal life again.