HUBER HEIGHTS, Ohio (WDTN) — What should have been a normal senior year, has been filled with obstacles for one Huber Heights teen.
When you look at Coltin Pride, you see a normal 18-year-old ready to take on the world. What you do not see is his internal battle with kidney disease.
“I was about five or six, I think, when I got diagnosed with Frasier Syndrome. And then all the other things. But more recently, since I would say the beginning of the summer, middle of the summer of last year, that’s kind of when my kidneys started to fail,” Coltin said.
After many tests and treatments, Coltin was told he would need a new kidney. His first kidney transplant happened when he was 6 years old. His mom, Sara Pride, said her brother-in-law was his first donor.
Whatever plans he had for his senior year at Wayne High School went out the window.
“I used to work tons of hours. I work at the Chick-fil-A on Miller Lane, and I had to cut back on a lot of those hours. And in the beginning, I had to cut back on hanging out with my friends, a lot of diet restrictions, fluid restrictions,” Coltin explained.
Coltin also had to miss football games and student council meetings. Despite these challenges, he is still making the most of his senior year. He even gets up at 4:30 a.m. for dialysis so he does not have to miss any school activities.
“He really wants to graduate and graduate with his class. He’s obviously been with this group of kids for 12 years. And so it’s important to him to graduate and graduate on time. And so it’s the sacrifice that he’s making, to make sure that he can graduate with this group,” Sara explained.
His mom said he always finds a way to stay positive and optimistic, but it is still difficult.
“There are days where he comes home and feels like I mean, it’s hard for him to really do anything other than kind of just rest and relax. So it’s tough,” Sara said.
Coltin is now looking for a donor. It is a long process, but Sara said anyone can see if they are a match. To register and start the process, click here.
“Anyone can go on to fill out a form and you can specifically request to donate to a specific person. There is also an option to say I would like to donate to anyone who might meet the criteria that I would fit,” Sara said.
While Coltin and his family wait for the next step, they are hopeful for the future. He was accepted into the University of Cincinnati’s nursing program. He hopes to become a nurse and help kids who are going through their own difficult health journeys.
“What I’ve learned is just be happy. It’s really easy to say, ‘why me?’ But I think you’ve just got to keep a happy face. You’ve got to keep going, and things happen for a reason,” Coltin said.
Coltin and his mom also thanked the community for their support. They also said there are thousands of people on the list for a kidney, so if you are not a match for Coltin, consider donating to someone else.
To keep up with Coltin’s journey, click here.
