STATUS:
Waiting
Bill graduated from high school in 1965 and joined the Marine Reserves - serving his first six months as active duty at Camp Pendleton Marine Corps Base. He served out his next five and a half years in the reserves and was trained as an electrician reaching the rank of Corporal.
Bill worked at Kresge’s five-and-dime department store and became a manager trainee and ended up traveling all over the Midwest to work at different stores. He was a salesman at the Keebler Cookie Co, moved on to the Ralston Purina Co in Kansas and in 2012 retired after 30 years as a Regional Manager in Florida and now resides in Ohio.
Bill battled multiple myeloma cancer in 2012 and was cured using stem cells and lots of chemo. The high dose of chemo is suspected to have damaged his kidneys. In 2017, his numbers fell, and he needed to start dialysis in 2019.
Bill is blessed to be married to his wife and partner, Dottie, for 32 years. They have three children together, three grandchildren, three great-grandchildren and one great-great-grandchild! Bill is a member of the Moose Club, an avid golfer, loves to play cards, and he and Dottie enjoy country-western dancing.
Bill has had three people come forward for him to be a donor, but none are able to donate due to medical reasons. 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. Thank you.
William Ritchey
Marine Reserves
