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Deputy sheriff goes above and beyond for fellow deputy
By Justin Wier
YOUNGSTOWN
Law-enforcement officers routinely perform selfless acts, but Mahoning County Deputy Sheriff Marcella Walter went above and beyond an officer’s typical duties.
On Tuesday, she donated a kidney to fellow Deputy Sheriff John Marenkovic.
When Walter learned Marenkovic suffered from kidney disease and would be going on dialysis soon, she asked what she could do to help.
“There was really no question in my mind or hesitation,” Walter said.
Walter, who was the first person tested, came back as a match.
“I was ecstatic,” she said. “I couldn’t call him fast enough to tell him.”
Marenkovic’s doctor said the first person tested almost never results in a match, she said, comparing it to winning the lottery.
After extensive testing to ensure Walter would come out of the operation healthy, doctors performed the surgery Tuesday at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center.
Mahoning County Sheriff Jerry Greene said Walter’s decision to donate a kidney was one of the most courageous acts he’s witnessed in his career as a law-enforcement officer.
“We do a lot of things that are dangerous, but this is really and truly an act of selflessness and bravery,” Greene said. “They’re not even family members. They’re brothers and sisters through law enforcement.”
The decision prompted action from the Mahoning County commissioners, who approved an amendment to the contract for sheriff’s office employees giving them 240 hours of paid leave if they donate a kidney or liver.
The contract language mirrors a state law that provides paid leave to state employees who donate organs.
Walter, contacted by phone Thursday, said she was mostly on bed rest – a little sore, but doing well after doctors released her from the hospital Tuesday.
Marenkovic is also doing well, she said.
Despite the soreness, Walter is thankful for the experience.
“It’s a blessing for both of us,” she said. “I’m so grateful I could give him an easier life.”