Luiz Aguilera

• Donor Search Expert Coach
• Kidney Recipient

One year ago, Luiz Aguilera received the gift of life from a living donor. He did not know that he was in critical condition due to his kidneys failing at the age of 40. He was rushed to the hospital and was awoken by a doctor who told him he had blue-lined and had overcome an emergency dialysis treatment due to end-stage renal failure. He was very confused and didn’t understand what he was being told. After some explanation, he realized that he would have to undertake a journey he was not expecting in his life.

This was a challenge for Luiz and his wife, Angelica, as neither of them knew about this condition. As they began going to a dialysis center to get Luiz treated for his condition, they started to learn about kidney transplantation. It was then that Luiz started the journey of looking for a possible living donor, as this was his best option. Luiz and Angelica never backed down from a challenge, and they both knew this was their time to be successful!

Luiz and his wife began thinking of ways to go about asking someone to become a donor. Angelica offered to step in to become his living donor, but Luiz was concerned about both of them being unavailable for their family as their children were still attending school. That’s when EJ Tamez, his Microsite Coach, contacted them and began to educate them in different methods of finding a living donor. Eventually, they were successful when one of his coworkers, Damian, agreed to become his donor. Luiz, Angelica and his family were very excited and grateful for what Damian was willing to do. For Luiz, this was a turning point in his life. His journey had been successful, and he was grateful for everyone who helped him through it.

Luiz was then approached by one of his neighbors, who was also looking for a living kidney donor and had heard that Luiz had been fortunate enough to receive a kidney transplant from a living donor. It was then that Luiz and his wife decided to give back to the community by helping other people looking for a kidney donor. As his first language is Spanish, he is able to communicate with the Hispanic culture.

Luiz is an Operations Manager at an underground utility company in Dripping Springs, Texas, where he is responsible for more than 200 employees. This keeps him on his toes, as he enjoys interacting with people. He was a musician with some of his family members in his younger years, and he still enjoys playing the electric bass as a hobby. He was born in Orlando, Florida, but moved to Austin, Texas, at the age of 7. He has 5 children—3 girls and 2 boys—a grandson and a granddaughter on the way. He is a very loving father and grandfather.

As a coach for the National Kidney Registry, he is looking forward to helping all in need!