Dickie Warlick

Gregory Mazzoni Needs A LIVING Kidney DONOR

My long friendship with Gregg (Gregory) is one of the most special and interesting ones I have experienced.

My long friendship with Gregg (Gregory) is one of the most special and interesting ones I have experienced. Gregg grew up in the Bronx, NY and I grew up in a small town in North Carolina. We did shared something pretty major though: we both brew up LOVING everything about the Beatles! So much that in 1985, with both of us in the early years of our marriage, we happened to travel to the Beatles' hometown of Liverpool, England on the very same weekend. And my wife and I just happened to cross paths with Gregg and his wife while we were each searching for a special Beatles landmark. We ended up spending the rest of that day together and exchanged pertinent information before parting. Long story short, we have remained lifelong friends since that auspicious meeting. We have spent a lot of joyful time with Gregg and both his first and now his second wife, Rainey. They have visited us in North Carolina, and we have visited them in New York and now Connecticut many times. We have vacationed together in the mountains and at the beach. We have played music together. Both our first born sons were named after John Lennon. We also discovered that first weekend that Gregg is only about two weeks younger than me. It is music and the Beatles that bonds us, but we have also discovered similar loves for sports and game-playing. Our visits together are always special as we both try get the most out of our limited time together. What I admire the most about Gregg is his loving nature. He and I both belong to that minority of guys who don't mind sharing their emotions. I know that Gregg has always loved me and visa versa. Our friendship is one of the treasures of my life.

I only found out about Gregg's need for a kidney recently. I was able to visit him while going through some tests at the Duke University Hospital. I can't comment on how this is affecting him because he was the same "Gregg" with me. He spoke of his desire to keep living his life. Besides his many friends, Gregg is part of a large family with quite a few nieces, nephews and grandchildren. I have not met them, but when Gregg describes his relationship with them, I can see how much they mean to him and how much I'm sure he means to them. I believe he is important to his family and family members are comfortable with Gregg and rely on his support. Again, besides me and his other friends, I believe it is Gregg's family that would be missing out on a lot if their grandpa, dad, uncle or brother-in-law was not longer with us.

I guess as Gregg's friends, we can all do what I'm doing now: share what a special person he is and how the world he inhabits will benefit from his receiving a kidney and living out his years. Gregg is a fighter, as he has already shown by surviving and thriving since he received a liver transplant. If Gregg receives a kidney, he can be counted on to make every effort at his disposal to make that transplant work. He will follow doctors' orders and adjust his lifestyle if necessary to maximize the life that's given to him by receiving a kidney.

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