STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — The year was 1969 when a group of Staten Island teens who attended Susan Wagner High School bonded and formed friendships that would last a lifetime.
Among them were Richard Nicotra and John Tarangelo.
Nicotra served as president of the Student Council. Tarangelo was treasurer, alongside friends Karyn Turner, who was secretary, and Kenny Kaplan, and Dr. Barbara Solomon, who served on several committees.
A half-century later, the old friends met again, this time at the Hilton Garden Inn at a high school reunion, sharing memories of the school, which opened in September 1968.
Friends, who never lost touch, they share a timeless camaraderie that has withstood the test of time.
Today, one of the group — John Tarangelo — needs help.
Tarangelo, who had been a standout athlete, played baseball for Susan Wagner, earning him a spot on the Advance All-Star Baseball Team.
Nicotra can’t help remember the time he was beat up by a bully in the courtyard during halftime at a Susan Wagner High School basketball game that resulted in one of his front teeth being knocked out.
It was Tarangelo who sought justice and made sure the bully would never bother Nicotra again.
As the story goes, when Tarangelo made eye contact with the bully in his neighborhood, the bully began running up a hill.
But Tarangelo made sure he didn’t get away. He dragged him down the hill and told him to “never bother Richard Nicotra again.”
Nicotra never forgot the way Tarangelo “went to bat” for him.
Now, after 50 years, in Tarangelo’s time of need, Nicotra is spreading awareness about his buddy’s fight of his own.
TARANGELO’S PLIGHT
After graduation, Nicotra attended St. John’s University and Tarangelo went to Wagner College, two campuses just down the street from one another on Grymes Hill.
Both went on to build successful careers — Nicotra as a major Staten Island developer and philanthropist, and Tarangelo with a career on Wall Street, while he pursued his passion for music.
Two years ago, Tarangelo developed a rare bone marrow disease that obstructed his kidney function.
Though he’s in remission from cancer, he spends three days a week, three hours at a time, on kidney dialysis.
Doctors say his only path back to a normal life is for him to receive a kidney transplant.
When Lois and Richard Nicotra learned of Tarangelo’s struggle, they realized his plight reflects a larger issue: The critical shortage of living organ donors and the lack of awareness about how individuals can help.
Many aren’t aware that living kidney donation is possible, or that one donor can save multiple lives through paired exchange programs.
For Tarangelo, his fight isn’t just about receiving a kidney, but rather about removing the mystery surrounding organ donation.
He believes that if his suffering can lead to greater understanding and inspire others to consider becoming donors, then something good will come from his journey.
“If sharing my story helps even one person realize how this process works, it will make a difference far beyond me,” Tarangelo says. “People think it’s complicated or dangerous, but the truth is, living donors can live full, healthy lives with one kidney. I want to take away the fear and confusion.”
Richard and Lois Nicotra, along with high school friends Karyn Turner, Kenny Kaplan, and Barbara Solomon, are reaching out to Staten Islanders with an urgent plea help save John’s life, and the lives of countless others waiting for a transplant.
Tarangelo needs a kidney donor with O-positive or O-negative blood type, but thanks to a kidney swap program, you don’t need to be a direct match.
If you donate a kidney to the pool, Tarangelo will receive a compatible kidney within six-to-nine months.
Lois Nicotra shared, “We recognize that there are so many people who need organs, and raising awareness for John’s plight raises awareness for everyone who finds themselves in need. If this story inspires even one person to consider organ donation, it will make a difference far beyond John.”
“While everyone is not medically eligible to donate, spreading the word can save lives. This effort is to encourage others to consider becoming donors, not just for John, but for anyone in need,” shared Richard Nicotra.
There is a broad need, and while the group of friends are not medically eligible, they committed to start a dialogue and share information to support all who face this challenge.
“Organ donation is one of the most profound gifts a person can give,” noted Karyn Turner. “For John, it means the chance to return to a normal life, free from dialysis and full of music. For Staten Island, considering donation or sharing the information is an opportunity to rally around one of our own and show the power of community.”
To learn more about living kidney donation or to register as a potential donor, visit http://www.cornell.donorscreen.org.
For questions or education about living donation, e-mail elb9128@nyp.org.
John observed that this conversation is an important one because, “even if you cannot donate, sharing this information can help save lives.”
MORE ON TARANGELO
If Tarangelo’s name is familiar, it should be.
He’s graced the stage at the Nicotras’ Lorenzo’s Restaurant, Bar & Cabaret at their Hilton Garden Inn, sharing his voice with the community he adores.
Tarangelo’s story also stretches into Naples, Fla., where he spent decades entertaining audiences.
During the mid-1990s, he opened Rock-n-Roll Heaven next to Michael’s Restaurant and later produced shows at the Sugden Theater on Fifth Avenue for seven seasons.
He taught music and physical education at Royal Palm Academy and continues to produce shows at the Hilton Ballroom in Naples.
