Del Rio Man Seeks Living Kidney Donor

For one Del Rio man, a living kidney donor could make a life-saving impact. 

Arturo "Nuni" Diaz has received a grim diagnosis: Stage 5 Chronic Kidney Disease. At stage 5, the kidneys have all but failed completely. Arturo now seeks a compatible kidney for a life-changing transplant. 

Connect Del Rio's Eddie Martinez met Arturo Diaz for the first time at a baseball game. He was invited to throw the first pitch before the Rams took on Laredo’s Lyndon B. Johnson Wolves. This was a moment meant to honor his dedication to young athletes as a decades-long youth sports coach. As he approached the mound and the announcer introduced him onto the field, a pocket of spectators in the stands erupted in cheers. They were relatives of Arturo, who goes by Nuni with family and friends, out to support this public appearance during a difficult time for him and those close to him.

But Arturo is known for many things. One is his love for sports. At 18 years old he would begin coaching youth teams in soccer, baseball, basketball and continue for 35 years. Over the years, Nuni picked up another nickname of affection from his players. 

"He would adopt [his] players. They would call him Tio," says Sabrina Gutierrez, Arturo’s niece. She was on one of Arturo’s soccer teams as a young girl, and recalls his passionate coaching style."It doesn’t matter if you’re his kid or not, he’s always been supporting kids with their sports."

Another role in the greater community he’s taken upon himself to fulfill is as a cook for plate-sale fundraisers. His brother, Raul, and he are known as "the chicken guys" by some because of their avid participation in dozens of fundraising efforts to cover medical expenses of other’s. 

These days, Arturo gets up for work bright and early 5 days a week for his job with the school district. At 69 years old, he enjoys getting to see his coworkers each day. Outside of work, he spends precious time with his family and wishes to travel. 

Arturo’s history of health crises is a roller coaster. In 2020, he underwent bariatric surgery, almost dying from blood loss in recovery. In the 80s he defeated cancer. Today, he reaches out to the community he has served his entire life in search of a living kidney donor.

With the help of the Nation Kidney Registry, Art could soon receive a compatible kidney if someone donates a kidney on his behalf. 

Even if you are not a direct match, the NKR employs data from across the U.S. to match donors with compatible recipients. Your donation could effectively save two lives, by matching with someone else, and earning Arturo his suitable kidney. 

If you would like to learn more about donating a kidney to Arturo, visit nkr.org/YMT839.