When Robert Leibowitz, a single father from New Jersey, took his family on a vacation to Orlando’s Disney World, he chose his park wear wisely. At the recommendation of his 14-year-old daughter, Liebowitz donned a homemade t-shirt that announced “In Need Of Kidney.”
Since Leibowitz has O positive blood, it’s been especially difficult for him to find a compatible donor. He figured quietly delivering the plea while walking around the busy vacation destination billed as “The Most Magical Place on Earth” might yield an outcome quicker than the various lists on which his name is already included.
Then Rocio Sandoval, a fellow patron of the Magic Kingdom, took a picture of Leibowitz and posted it on Facebook, sharing a portion of his story.
One week later, Sandoval’s post had been shared over 90,000 times.
“The response has been absolutely amazing,” Leibowitz told WFTV, the ABC affiliate in Orlando. “I get very emotional about it. Over a million people have seen it already, and the calls keep coming in in terms of text and phone calls from all over the country, which is amazing.”
Leibowitz told the station that he developed kidney problems when he was still a boy. Doctors recently told him that the medical issue has progressed to the point that he needs a transplant. Leibowitz says his dedication to his four kids is driving him to play every angle to find a solution.
“I love them more than anything in the world and they are my rocket fuel,” he said. “That’s what keeps me going.”
