Questa del Rio News received a letter from a man from the Antonito, Colo., area. He is in need of a kidney transplant and has asked us to run his story in hopes of finding a match.

Orale Family and Friends:

I’m Waldo Madrid, I was born to Teofilo “Toby” and Judy Dupont Madrid and raised in San Rafael (Paisaje,) Colorado. This cool little placita is west of Antonito in the County of Conejos, in the San Luis Valley in the great State of Colorado, USA. Many of you may have known my parents: Dad was the County Sheriff and Mom was the Cook/Nutritionist at the Senior Citizens center in Antonito.

I have shared the past 26 years with the love of my life and soul-mate, Linda DeHerrera. We live in the community of Lobatos, north east of Antonito. We have three very special grandkids.

This is hard for me to put it out there but, I have kidney failure. My kidneys failed in 2020 and it changed my life. I am alive because I’m on dialysis three times a week. I’m grateful for today’s technology that keeps so many of us alive. I was approved to be on the kidney transplant list two years ago and I am still looking for a kidney.

I need your help, family and friends! Can you “share a spare kidney”? Can you spread the word about my need? Can you pray and send positive energy for me? I really need all of that. My blood type is O+ and I am hopeful to find a donor who will agree to help me with a kidney donation.

If you would like to contact me, we can talk about it. Send me a message via email at waldo.madrid.kidneywarrior@gmail.com and then we can contact the UC Health Transplant Team to see if you’re a viable match to help me.

Thank you for reading my story, for thinking about it and for keeping me in your positive thoughts and prayers. I believe that God has a plan for me, somehow you are linked in that plan.