KENNER, La. — For years, signs that say “My dad needs a kidney” have been popping up all over town. Like many of us, maybe you wondered if they were a real call for help.
WWL Louisiana spoke to the man behind the signs. Once a college athlete, Carl Fanaro spent his younger years running from base to base, wearing a glove.
“I was always a baseball guy,” Kenner's Grandfather, Carl Fanaro, said.
Six decades later, you can still find him at the ballpark, cheering for a younger team in Kenner.
“I came up to be with the grandkids. Boys are nine, ten, girl is four. Big together family. We’re always together,” Fanaro said.
Three days a week, the full-time grandfather doesn’t make it to the diamond.
“Monday, Wednesday, Friday, I feel terrible,” Fanaro said.
He sits in a chair for hours, getting dialysis. Because of his age, he isn't eligible to get on most transplant lists.
"Most of the hospitals, they won't even talk to you," he said.
Then his teammates got resourceful, pinning up signs that say “My dad needs a kidney,” all over town.
“You’d be amazed at the calls you get,” Fanaro said.
Over the months, he’s had a few takers, but it's a process from first call to new kidney.
“We’ve had multiple people try, but it's usually a medical reason why we can’t,” Fanaro said.
Not all potential donors have good intentions.
“They go through all the testing, they’re getting ready to schedule surgery, and she calls and says she wants four hundred grand."
A few months ago, a promising donor saw the family’s signs.
“What they’re doing now is collecting all of his medical information. According to him, he’s in excellent health. Now we’re just waiting,” Fanaro said.
Fanaro says a long road of testing is still ahead, but he’s hopeful he’ll be back at the ballpark full-time soon, with a smaller player wearing his glove.
One day, Fanaro hopes to raise awareness of kidney donation for other people in need. He says there are misconceptions about recovery and life after donation.
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