STATUS:
Received - Deceased Donor 3/2024
James Kruse is an Army Veteran who served three years: one year at Fort Gordon, then in Korea for one year during the Vietnam War servicing teletypes and cryptography equipment. Jim’s enlistment was extended for another year, and he was sent to a maintenance battalion in Fort Hood to repair teletypes, cryptography, and other communications equipment.
After his time served in the Army, Jim put his skills to use at Illinois Bell Telephone spending 40 years there, starting as a technician, then moving up to area manager, as well as getting a BS in Supervision at Purdue University. He finished his career at Excel Communications as a regional director and retired in 2010.
Jim and his wife Deborah have a blended family with four adult children, nine grandchildren, and three great-grandchildren. Jim is still very connected to the military community. He has been sending care packages to the troops every month for 20 years, speaks often at different military functions, has lunch every other week with other veterans, and even has his own online TV show called “Kruse’s Krew”!
In 2019, Jim was diagnosed with Stage 4 kidney disease, then in 2020 had a heart attack with complications. In 2021 he started hemodialysis which has been keeping him alive. He enjoys gardening, watching shows, reading books on history, and sending Christmas cards to our troops.
Receiving a new kidney would allow Jim to continue to be there for his family and serve the greater military community! He has enlisted the help of a Veteran's organization called DOVE Transplant which is helping in his outreach to find his life-saving kidney donor. 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 this Veteran's life! Please click on the link below if you would like to learn more OR call 551-449-8319.
James Kruse
Army Veteran
