STATUS:
Waiting
My name is Thomas Towle, and I spent my four high school years attending a military school. When I graduated in 1971, I had risen to the rank of lieutenant. After graduation, I attended the University of Minnesota but wasn’t quite ready to apply myself, so I decided to delay my college life and enlisted in the Army. Early in 1972, I completed my Basic Training and Medic Training and was given orders to serve in Vietnam as a Medic/Dental Technician. I was attached to a hospital in Saigon and then a medical clinic in the MACV Headquarters compound. I wasn’t a combat veteran, but I did fly out into the field to treat U.S. Advisors, Vietnamese soldiers, and local village residents. While in Vietnam, I was promoted to E-4 (corporal) and remained that rank through the end of my military commitment in 1975.
My civilian life consisted of completing some college and attending Photography School. I started my own photography business and ran it for 8 years. I later quit my photo business and began working in the related field of commercial printing, which I worked in for about 35 years before retiring in 2019. I met and married my wife, Michele, in 1981. She was an elementary school teacher until she retired at 62 because of her diagnosis of Multiple Sclerosis. We had three children in a short period of time, and they are all very successful, and I couldn’t be more pleased.
Since the age of 37, I have had four heart attacks, four open-heart surgeries, and two heart pumps. At 58, I was fortunate to receive a new lease on life with a heart transplant, allowing me to see my children marry and start their own families. My kidneys began to fail after contracting COVID in 2020. I needed to be hospitalized for two months and was not expected to live, but my strong transplanted heart gave me a chance to survive. For the past 34 years, my family and I have been on a roller coaster ride of medical ups and downs. With the gift of a kidney, I would have the chance to prolong my life and watch my nine grandchildren grow and possibly even see my great-grandchildren.
My interests and hobbies—boating, photography, golf, and reading—would probably round out my top four things to do. Unfortunately, photography and golf seem to be taking a back seat because of my dialysis schedule. My dream is to be able to take trips for photography and play golf—maybe in the future, these opportunities will happen. Will you join DOVE in our mission to find a kidney for me? Your support, whether through spreading the word on social media or considering becoming a donor, can make a profound impact on my life and the life of my family!
Thomas 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) 233-1611.
Thomas Towle
Army Veteran
