Port Richmond man, 24, in desperate need of kidney donor

PORT RICHMOND - He is only 24 years old but diagnosed with two failing kidneys. He is in need of a donor but only needs one kidney to return to a normal, healthy and long life.

"I woke up and my foot was swollen. This happened a couple times prior, so I thought it was like gout," Kevin Flegler said.

Around October 22nd of last year, after going to urgent care, Flegler, 24, found out it was something far more serious.

"They were like ‘your blood pressure is abnormally high,’" he recalled.

"So, then I went and got blood tested and they told me ‘your creatinine is real high for a young age,’" said Kevin.

He ended up in the hospital and spent five days in ICU. Kevin says doctors determined that he has chronic kidney disease. Neither of his kidneys are functioning. He spoke with FOX 29’s Shawnette Wilson Thursday evening from his family's home in Port Richmond to help him get the word out that he needs a kidney donor.

"I was a bit nervous," he said. For the past four months, Kevin has been getting dialysis three and a half hours a day, three times a week at Northeast Dialysis, while he is on an organ transplant wait list.

"It makes me tired. I take a lot of meds now," said Kevin. He has to follow a strict routine.

"I can only drink 40 ounces a day of liquid, period. So, that is really a pet peeve for me. Eating healthier and sodium restriction ain’t that bad," he said. It is also challenging to do the physical stuff he loves like hooping with his friends and family.

Receiving a kidney would allow him to go back to living like most young men his age and without worry about his future.

"Like working, going places with my family and doing certain stuff," he said.

His grandmother, Patsy, says he has been positive through it all.

"I'm devastated over this, but he's been a trooper. It is hard and I cannot put on a sad face. I have to be brave for him too," she said.

The Gift of Life Donor Program is now close to her heart. She hopes people will get their blood tested to see if they can be a donor for her grandson.

"This would mean so much for him and for us if he can get that and have a normal life again," she said.

A GoFundMe campaign has been established to help Kevin with costs.

Anyone interested In having bloodwork done and be tested as a possible donor for Kevin Flegler, call Einstein Hospital at 215-456-4569.