THE COLONY, Texas — The Colony Fire Department Battalion Chief Brent Young really loves his job.
“It's the best job in the world," Young said. "I've loved every minute of it."
The 57-year-old dad of three has been a firefighter with The Colony Fire Department for 27 years, working his way up the ranks.
“It’s the only place I ever wanted to work,” Young said. “I just can't imagine doing anything else or anywhere else. This is a great city.”
Up until two months ago, retirement hadn’t even crossed his mind.
“It's hard to imagine not doing it anymore,” Young said. “You know, I think everybody wants to kind of go out on their own terms.”
But that all changed during a routine doctor’s appointment where Young found out he has a rare kidney disease and needs a transplant.
“She said your kidneys - you're on the transplant list - they are failing, you know and it was kind of a shock,” he said. “If I end up on dialysis, I can't be a fireman anymore.”
Now it’s a race to find a donor match to save his career and his life.
“It’s very scared to possibly think of losing the love of your life,” his wife, Sara Young, said through tears. “It's extremely painful. I don't know what I'd do without that man.”
The department can’t imagine life without him either.
“You think of how many times we go out and we try to help people. And then one of our own needs help,” said Captain Yusef Khatib. “You know, it's a little bit sad at first, but then I think the next thought is not what can we do - it's what are we going to do?”
So now they’re asking the public to consider giving Young a little more time by filling out this simple form to find a match at livingdonordallas.org. Be sure to include “Brent Young/ DOB 4/19/1967” as the donor recipient.
“You'd be giving a good kidney to a very good man,” said Sara Young. “And I’ll make sure he takes good care of it.”
A promise Sara Young vows to keep. And The Colony firefighters do, too.