Anthony Maiolo has been serving the Lodi, NJ, community for 25 years as a volunteer firefighter at Lodi Fire Company 1 and would like to serve another 25 years.
He comes from a long line of volunteer firefighters, but life took a pause when he was hit with Type 2 diabetes in 2007, a below-the-knee amputation in 2019 and most recently, kidney disease in 2020.
“It’s been an up-and-down journey,” he told CBS 2 NY. “It’s not something you can just put a Band-Aid on, but it’s a part of life, right now, for me.”
Maiolo’s kidneys are failing and he does dialysis three times a week.
“It’s very hard for me to come out and ask for help,” he said.
Despite a public plea and many friends and family stepping up, no matches were found for a kidney donor.
Until a friend’s fiancée got tested.
“She ended up being a direct match,” Maiolo said, fighting back tears.
A date has not yet been set for the surgery.
Maiolo has a message for possible organ donors.
“Help someone to live the rest of their life. It means a lot for someone to step up and help me. If you could do that for someone, that is one of the greatest gifts you can give somebody.”
