Al is a retired NYPD detective who spent most of his life looking out for others. Whether working those plainclothes cases in the Bronx, tracking down suspects in major crimes, or training police and fire rescue teams as a public safety scuba diving instructor, his career has always been about protection, prevention, and service. Now, like so many first responders we aim to help in their kidney search, Al is the one who needs someone to respond to his crisis.
About Al Calise
Al’s kidney journey began with a line-of-duty injury in 1986 that fractured his hip and leg. At just 36 years old, he was facing chronic pain and a future cut short. The only medication that allowed him to function was ibuprofen. But nearly a decade of daily use led to irreversible kidney damage.
He’s lived with the consequences ever since. For the last four to five years, his kidney function has been slowly declining. In recent months, things have worsened dramatically. “The pain in my back is intense,” he says. “I used to be able to work three or four days a week. Now even standing for a few hours is a struggle.”
It’s not just the pain, though. Al had built a second career after his injury, one shaped by the water. “I always liked the water,” he says. “There was no pain there, no pressure on the nerve.” Weightlessness gave him relief, and in that space, he found a new way to serve.
He became a diving instructor, training everyday divers as well as police, fire, and rescue teams in underwater safety and emergency response. “We would create real-life scenarios underwater for public safety divers to handle,” he says. “It was fun but also meaningful. It was about preparing people to save lives.”
Traveling, diving, teaching—he loved it all. But it came to an end as his health declined. “I used to go on dive trips to Hawaii, the Carolinas, Florida. That’s all gone,” he says. “Now what I did in one day takes me four.”
These days, Al’s life is centered around his wife, Mary, who has Parkinson’s and is recovering from cancer treatment. To Al, it’s his purpose to stay alive for his wife. “It may sound corny,” he says, “but I have to take care of my wife. That’s what keeps me going.”
A kidney transplant would mean more than just medical recovery. It would mean a chance to reclaim some of that life again. “It would allow us to have a better quality of life again,” he says. “It would be easier for me to take care of Mary, and for Mary to take care of me.”
Looking back on his decades of service, Al reflects on what’s mattered most: helping others. “Most of my life, I’ve looked out for others,” he says. “Now, I’m hoping someone might be willing to do the same for me.”
If there’s one lesson this experience has taught him, it’s this: “Don’t take anything for granted. You never know what tomorrow brings.”
If you feel compelled to help Al, please scroll to the bottom of this page to easily share his story or take the first step to becoming a living donor.
Or you can reach out to Kidneys for Communities at info@kidneysforcommunities.org to learn more about how you can help. The Kidneys for Communities team is here to answer your questions.
KIDNEY DONATION
How does kidney donation work?
A donor doesn’t need to be an exact match. In fact, because of the Nobel Prize-winning paired kidney exchange program, your kidney donation will not only save one life, but it will save several more in the chain.
Living kidney donation is safe, and all costs associated with your donation are covered. Living donor kidneys also last much longer than deceased donor kidneys. A deceased donor kidney transplant, on average, lasts 10-15 years, while a living donor transplant lasts 12-20 years.
Kidneys for Communities® Donor Benefits
Donating a kidney is one of the most rewarding and fulfilling acts someone can do.
Kidneys for Communities can help you through the process to help save a life, but we know there are many obstacles that can be prohibitive to the donor. At Kidneys for Communities, we take care of our donors with the industry’s most complete donor benefits package:
Onboarding and education
Personalized guidance through the donation process
Anonymity
Cost reimbursements:
Travel, food & lodging, lost wages, child, pet and adult care