New Kidney for My Brother, Tony Donatelli

06/10/2026

It's been a little while since our last update, but we wanted to take a moment to share where we are in this journey and to thank everyone who has continued to support our family.

First and foremost, thank you. Whether you have donated, shared our fundraiser, sent prayers, reached out with kind words, or simply kept Tony and José in your thoughts, please know that your support means the world to us.

We are continuing to move forward, one step at a time. Tony is currently completing the final medical tests and preparing for a dialysis port relocation procedure as part of the process leading up to his apron removal surgery. This surgery is a critical step toward his kidney transplant and will help ensure the safest possible outcome when the time comes.

José is also nearing the finish line of his donor evaluation process, with just a few remaining tests to complete. We are so grateful for his willingness to give such an incredible gift and for the transplant team's careful attention to every detail along the way.

Once Tony has successfully completed his apron removal surgery and has had adequate time to heal, the transplant team in Tampa will be able to schedule the living donor kidney transplant. Every appointment, test, and procedure brings us one step closer to that life-changing day.

As a family, we continue to stand beside both Tony and José, supporting them in every way we can. This journey requires not only emotional strength but also significant financial resources. The travel, lodging, medical expenses, recovery needs, and time away from work surrounding these procedures add up quickly, and your generosity is helping make it possible for us to focus on what matters most: their health, healing, and recovery.

We remain hopeful, grateful, and excited for the day when Tony receives this second chance at life. Until then, we will continue taking this journey one step at a time and sharing updates along the way.

From the bottom of our hearts, thank you for walking this path with us. ❤️

gofund.me/17d708e95

05/26/2026

We wanted to take a moment to thank everyone again for the incredible love, support, donations, prayers, and encouragement our family has received throughout this journey. Every kind word and every contribution has meant more to us than we can properly express.

We also received some very important and hopeful news this week: Tony has officially been approved for his apron removal surgery.

After losing approximately 200 pounds during his fight through kidney failure and daily dialysis, Tony was left with a significant amount of excess skin around his midsection. Doctors confirmed that this tissue would not only make the kidney transplant process more difficult, but could also become a serious infection risk after transplant. Because of this, the transplant team determined that the transplant process cannot safely move forward until this surgery is completed.

While we are incredibly grateful and relieved that Tony has been approved, this surgery does come with risks—especially because he is currently in kidney failure. He will require high-level medical care, close monitoring, and around-the-clock support throughout recovery.

This is why your support means so much to our family. The medical costs alone are overwhelming, but when combined with travel, lodging, recovery care, transportation, meals, and the many other expenses involved in supporting both Tony and José through this process, the financial burden grows very quickly.

Every donation—no matter how small—is helping us move one step closer to getting Tony safely through surgery, transplant, and recovery. And for that, we are endlessly thankful.

We promise to continue keeping everyone updated each step of the way. Thank you for walking beside our family during this life-changing journey. ❤️
Here is the link to our GoFundMe:
gofund.me/59855d68f

05/25/2026

Thank you so much to the donors so far! 🥰

It’s hard to put into words just how proud we are of Tony.

The photo on the left was taken 11 years ago, in 2015 before this journey began. The photo on the right is who he is today—after fighting through two years of kidney failure, daily dialysis, and losing over 200 pounds to give himself a chance at life.

His strength, discipline, and determination have been nothing short of incredible.

Now, we are standing on the edge of something we’ve prayed for—a second chance. With José approved as his living donor, Tony is closer than ever to receiving the gift of a healthier future… a future where he can truly live again.

Every single donation, no matter the amount, is helping us make sure that both Tony and José are supported through this transplant journey—from travel and lodging to recovery and everything in between.

But more than that, your support is giving us peace of mind. It’s allowing us to focus on what matters most: healing, hope, and the life that lies ahead.

From the bottom of our hearts, thank you to every single person who has donated, shared, and lifted us up. We feel your love, and it means more than we can say. ❤️

gofund.me/02ed14573

05/17/2026

Last week, Jose and I traveled to Tampa for a full day of testing as part of the kidney donation process for my brother, Tony. We are so incredibly grateful to the Tampa General Transplant Team for coordinating everything so thoughtfully, allowing José to complete all of his testing in a single day so we could travel up, stay overnight, and return home afterward.

In the middle of such a life-changing journey, we were also able to slow down for a lovely dinner together and reflect on just how important family truly is. This entire experience has reminded us over and over again how precious life, love, and second chances are.

We are beyond excited for Tony to receive this incredible gift and begin the next chapter of his life in health and happiness. We love him more than words can say.

We also want to thank every single person who has donated to our GoFundMe. Your generosity is helping make it possible for Tony and José to get through several major surgeries, for our family to travel where we need to be to support them, and for all of us to focus on healing and recovery afterward.

Every donation, share, prayer, and kind word means so much to our family. Truly—every little bit helps, and we are endlessly grateful.

For anyone who would like to help support our family through this life-saving journey:
gofund.me/3d2b838d5 ❤️

05/03/2026

Update on our transplant journey ❤️
Tomorrow, José and I will be heading to Tampa for the next step in this process. He’ll be undergoing a full day of testing to make sure his mind and body are ready for donation surgery—and we are both so grateful to be able to take this time to do what needs to be done to help Tony get the kidney he needs.
We are feeling hopeful, grateful, and ready for what’s ahead. Thank you all for the love, prayers, and continued support—it truly means everything to our family.
We’ll keep sharing updates along the way, and for those who have donated to our GoFundMe… thank you from the bottom of our hearts. Every contribution, no matter the size, is helping us move closer to our $25,000 goal to cover transplant-related expenses and Tony’s life-saving care.
(Link in bio / attached below) ❤️

gofund.me/42f43ee93

04/26/2026

It’s hard to put into words just how proud we are of Tony.

The photo on the left was taken 11 years ago, in 2015 before this journey began. The photo on the right is who he is today—after fighting through two years of kidney failure, daily dialysis, and losing over 200 pounds to give himself a chance at life.

His strength, discipline, and determination have been nothing short of incredible.

Now, we are standing on the edge of something we’ve prayed for—a second chance. With José approved as his living donor, Tony is closer than ever to receiving the gift of a healthier future… a future where he can truly live again.

Every single donation, no matter the amount, is helping us make sure that both Tony and José are supported through this transplant journey—from travel and lodging to recovery and everything in between.

But more than that, your support is giving us peace of mind. It’s allowing us to focus on what matters most: healing, hope, and the life that lies ahead.

From the bottom of our hearts, thank you to every single person who has donated, shared, and lifted us up. We feel your love, and it means more than we can say. ❤️

gofund.me/02ed14573

04/19/2026

Honestly, we are emotional writing this.

In just the first few days, 7 people have donated $455 toward Tony’s transplant journey, and we are so incredibly grateful.

What may seem like “just a donation” to others feels like encouragement, relief, and love to our family. It reminds us that we are being held up by a community of people who care.

Thank you for believing in this journey, for helping ease some of the burden ahead, and for helping us take these first steps with hope. From the bottom of our hearts—thank you. ❤️

gofund.me/329671944

04/17/2026

We just received life-changing news for our family ❤️

After 2 years of battling kidney failure and daily dialysis, my brother Tony has finally been approved for a transplant… and my husband José has been approved as his living donor.

We are overwhelmed with gratitude—but we also know this journey comes with a lot of financial challenges that insurance simply doesn’t cover.

Our family will be traveling back and forth between Fort Myers and Tampa for surgery, recovery, and follow-up care. Tony and my parents will need to stay in Tampa for at least 6 weeks, and José and I will be there during his recovery as well.

There are also additional medical needs, including a necessary surgery for Tony to prevent infection after transplant.

If you’re able to support us in any way—whether through donating or simply sharing this—we would be incredibly grateful.

Every bit helps us focus on what matters most right now: healing, recovery, and getting Tony his second chance at life.

Thank you for your love, prayers, and support,

Andrea ❤️

https://gofund.me/a9b5a39ad

10/31/2025

Still working hard to loss weight! 💪

03/05/2025

For those who have asked & those who are interested, here is how to contact the program the Tony Donatelli is working with for more information.