Thursday, October 1, 2026
For nearly a decade, Leonard “Leo” Burke has served the Valley Stream community as a volunteer firefighter and emergency medical technician. Now the 45-year-old father and longtime first responder is relying on that same sense of community as he searches for his third living kidney donor.
Burke, a Queens native who moved to Valley Stream in 2015, was in his late 20s when he learned his kidneys were failing due to previously undiagnosed and uncontrolled high blood pressure.
“I wasn’t aware that I had anything, because at 27 years old, really, you don’t know,” he said. “You’re feeling good.”
His wife, Rhonda, who has known him since they were teenagers and has been married to him for nearly 24 years, quickly became part of his care journey.
After Burke initially began dialysis, his wife pursued testing on her own and was found to be a match. Despite his concerns about the potential impact on her health and their future plans to start a family, she ultimately donated a kidney to him in 2010.
The transplant was successful, though the kidney functioned for only about three years.
In 2013, as Burke again faced kidney failure, his father stepped forward as a donor.
Burke said he was able to live a relatively normal life during that period, including joining the Valley Stream Fire Department in 2016 and later expanding his service to include EMS work.
However, the second transplanted kidney began to fail in 2024. Since then, Burke has been on dialysis, undergoing treatments three times a week. He said the routine is physically demanding and comes with strict dietary and fluid restrictions, along with persistent fatigue.
Despite his health challenges, he continues to work full-time overseeing the warranty department at Dejana Truck & Utility Equipment. He also remains active with the fire department and EMS squad.
“I still volunteer my time,” Burke said. “It is one of the things I love doing, but you don’t have the same capabilities that you had when you’re healthy. But I still volunteer my time as much as possible.”
At home, he balances his health needs with family life. His daughter, Isabelle, is a student at Valley Stream South High School, where she participates in music and track. She is also involved as a junior firefighter, where Burke serves as an advisor, allowing them to spend time together through training and meetings.
Rhonda described her husband as consistently dedicated to his responsibilities as a family man and community member, even throughout repeated health challenges. She said his determination has remained steady from his initial diagnosis through multiple surgeries and ongoing dialysis treatments.
“Truthfully speaking, I would not have chosen anyone else to be married to and to spend this life with,” she said. “People always ask me if I have any regrets about giving him my kidney. Absolutely not, I would do it over. And I said to him, ‘If I had three, he would have gotten another one, but unfortunately, I only have two.’”
The couple’s experience has also shaped their perspective on organ donation. Rhonda said that donating a kidney, despite complications during her surgery, did not prevent her from continuing her career or having a child. She gave birth to Isabelle about a year after the transplant.
Burke emphasized that both his wife and father were able to return to normal, active lives after donating, underscoring what he sees as a broader need for awareness about living organ donation.
Now awaiting a third transplant, Burke is on the national transplant list while continuing dialysis. He said a living donor would significantly improve his chances of receiving a transplant sooner and regaining his strength.
His goal is to return to a more active role in the fire department and to keep up with his daughter as she prepares for milestones, such as obtaining her driver’s license and eventually heading to college.
Burke’s case has drawn support through Kidneys for Communities, an organization that helps connect first responders with potential living donors. The group has worked to share his story and provide information for those interested in helping.
Community members looking to support Burke can do so by sharing his story or learning more about living donation. For more information, contact Kidneys for Communities at info@kidneysforcommunities.org. Individuals can also reach out to Burke’s transplant social worker at Lbinkiewicz@northwell.edu for guidance on the donor evaluation process.
As Burke continues treatment and waits for a match, he remains focused on maintaining his routine and staying involved in the community he has served for years.
