Graham Brathwaite fulfilled a childhood dream when he joined the New York Police Department 19 years ago. “Being a police officer is something I wanted to do since I was a kid,” he recalls.
During those 19 years, he has served mainly in Queens, where he lives with his wife Maria and their son. One case he’s especially proud of was being part of the team that tracked down a serial stabber who had been terrorizing the city in 2011. “It felt good to get him off the streets so people could feel safe again.” he said. Graham is currently serving as a captain in NYPD’s Internal Affairs unit.
For Graham, service goes beyond his job. He helps feed homeless people in the community, and as a jogger, he’s run in charity events like the 5K Run for Cancer. And when he’s not busy serving others – on the job or in the community – he enjoys spending precious time with family.
Things started to come apart for Graham last year when he was diagnosed with stage 5 kidney disease. At age 43, he continues to work, since he’s only a year shy of retirement, but that’s becoming a challenge. He’s been putting off starting dialysis, in hopes he can find someone to donate a kidney to keep him going.
Do you want to help Graham? Please share the link to Graham’s story or 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.
