My name is William Christian, or Will as many of my friends call me. As I write this, reality is hitting hard. This is extremely humbling to write a story about my life and my desperation for someone with a compassionate heart and soul to share a spare kidney with me just so that I may live. Thank you for taking the time to read this.
My father served in the US Army and allowed us to live in many parts of the country as well as Korea and Japan. This type of upbringing motivated me to serve my country from an early age. Growing up in the 80’s and watching movies like Star Wars and Top Gun, I had a lifelong goal of being a Naval Aviator and an astronaut. In 1997 I was able to accomplish one of those dreams; I joined the US Navy and proudly served as a Naval Aviator for 25 years.
I was able to serve and travel all over the world with the military. I finally settled down in 2003 when I was stationed in Pensacola to serve as a flight instructor teaching new Naval Aviators. I loved teaching students how to fly so much that I made this my job for the next 15 years in the Navy Reserves. I was honored to be a mentor and instructor for so many young men and women throughout my career.
Living in Pensacola gave me the opportunity to fly as much as I wanted and enjoy my favorite hobby, surfing. Living a healthy lifestyle, eating healthy, and being positive, I thought I was going to live forever. It was all so exhilarating, and I was on top of the world. When my kidneys started to fail, it was a shocking and confusing experience. I have been reliant on dialysis since January 2024; I never thought in a million years it would happen to me, but it did.
My world came crashing down. Shock set in, I had to stop flying, I wasn’t able to surf, I was barely able to get out of bed some days. I sought guidance—spiritual guidance. I read the Bible looking for answers. During this time, I found a calming sense of support that gave me hope and positivity that keeps me going.
My wife, Kristy and I married in 2017. We are still newlyweds compared to some of my friends who are at 30 years of marriage. We were so excited to start a new life and family together with kids and a new house on the horizon. One of the most exciting things that I was looking forward to was having the opportunity to have children. As much as I have enjoyed and appreciated my life up to this point, I can’t wait until there is a little soul that I can teach to fly and surf that calls me dad!
I am at a place in life that I never would have imagined. Going from flying and surfing and preparing for kids to being tethered to a dialysis machine just to survive is life shattering. The gift of a kidney donation is the ultimate of all gifts, and if I were to be fortunate enough to receive this gift, I would be eternally grateful. Thank you for your time and God bless.
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 Will’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