Santa's need for a new kidney is answered by fraternity brother
CRANBERRY TWP — For nearly 15 years, Ott Quarles has heard the Christmas wishes of thousands of township children.
Adorned in a red suit, a long white beard offset by his rosy cheeks, Quarles has routinely made Santa's First Stop at the township municipal building, hearing pleas for dolls, bikes and gaming systems.
Last year, however, found Quarles with a Christmas wish of his own — a new kidney.
Quarles, who works for the township's engineering department, had been dealing with health issues for years, being placed on medication to manage diabetes. He said a doctor's visit in January 2017 returned a startling discovery: his kidneys were failing.
“The doctor kept telling me I needed more blood work, but I never had time to get it done,” he said, adding the work was intended to make sure the medication wasn't damaging his organs. “Most people are like that, but it came back and bit me big time.”
Doctors told Quarles he wouldn't make it through Christmas of 2017, and that if he wanted to be placed on the transplant list, he had to get his body mass index below 40. Over the next eight months, Quarles worked with a doctor specializing in kidney issues to develop a diet plan, and lost close to 80 pounds.
His efforts helped him make it to Christmas, but time was running out to find a donor.
Enter Cranberry Township.
Quarles has worked in the engineering department for three years, but previously was a sewer inspector for a consultant for 13 years. Perhaps more notably, however, was his role as Santa for township events, including Santa's First Stop and various other visits. He said he's played the role since 2004, becoming a staple of the holiday season.
Tina Fedko, township communications manager, said officials shared Quarles' story through Stafflines, the township employee newsletter. The story outlined Quarles' needs and gave the background of his journey for those in the township who weren't already familiar with it.
“He works with us, he's one of us, and we knew of his struggles,” Fedko said.
That story, Fedko said, gave Quarles a platform to share with others as he sought a donor. The decision to do so was easy, she said.
“He never asks for anything,” she said. “He does all of our events and won't take a dime. He feels that he's making Christmas very special for someone.”
That sentiment was echoed by Jason Kratsas, director of engineering and environmental services, who said Quarles is the “embodiment of Christmas.”
“He's always donating his time, and even if he gets paid, he's donating it back to something,” Kratsas said.
Kratsas said his daughters, ages 6 and 13, have grown up visiting Quarles every holiday season, as have hundreds of others. Kratsas said in that time, he's seen his giving attitude on display time and again.“He's a wonderful man,” Kratsas said.In addition to the township's coverage, Quarles' granddaughter created signs for the family's vehicles. The stickers advertised that a kidney donor was needed and gave a phone number to call. It also offered an email address: SantaNeedsXmasMiracle@yahoo.com.Weeks went by, and Quarles' plea circulated around social media. Eventually, he heard from a man who had been his fraternity brother while he was a student at Clarion University more than four decades ago.“He said, 'What can I do to help?,'” Quarles said of his old friend. “I said, 'Just spread the word,' and he said, 'No, how do I become a donor?'”Preliminary testing found the friend was potentially a match. A friendship rekindled, his friend, who now lives in Carlisle, Pa., made the trip to Quarles' home in Lower Burrell and underwent additional testing. At the end of November, doctors confirmed the match.Quarles said during that time, the two shared stories and reminisced about their college days. It also gave a chance for him to show his appreciation.“He was my big brother in college in the fraternity, and he's pretty much a true big brother now,” he said.The transplant is scheduled Jan. 8 at UPMC Montefiore, after which Quarles will miss about six weeks of work. He noted it will be much harder on his friend to donate the kidney than it will be to receive it, a fact he won't soon forget.“I've thanked him numerous times, but it doesn't seem like its enough,” Quarles said of his friend. “He doesn't realize how much he's helping.”Though he's been eagerly awaiting the transplant, that didn't stop Quarles from fulfilling his duty earlier this month when he made his annual stop at the township municipal building decked out in red. It's a sign that things are finally starting to look up, and his Christmas wish will soon be filled.“I've wanted to have this done for a long time to get my life back,” he said.
