Great Neck man Marc Weiner who placed ads in Times Square for kidney donor gets transplant 5 years later

A Great Neck man who drew national attention for broadcasting his need for a new kidney on Times Square video billboards has ended his yearslong quest after finally receiving a kidney from a living donor.

Marc Weiner, 58, was diagnosed with bladder and kidney cancer in 2015 and had his bladder, kidneys and prostate removed in 2016. After being cleared in 2018 for a kidney transplant, the CBS News executive began the hunt for a new organ, a quest that put his face in one of the busiest pedestrian areas in the world, yielding at least five people who donated kidneys to others and gaining him new friendships. 

Weiner received his new kidney last week from an anonymous living donor. After a four-day stint at New York-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center, he returned home with a new organ. Until then, Weiner relied on dialysis three times a week to remove the waste and excess nutrients a healthy kidney normally filters out, which was time-consuming and grueling. The body only needs one kidney but can function with no kidneys with the help of dialysis. 

“One of the mantras I’ve had is ‘one day at a time,’” he said from the home that he shares with his wife and daughter. “It’s a new chapter in my life. I’m going to take it one day at a time and enjoy it.” 

The journey to Weiner receiving a new kidney started in 2018 with a donated billboard in Times Square featuring a photo of Weiner and a simple message: “My name is Marc. I need a Kidney. YOU can Help!” Weiner, who has spent his career behind a camera, said he was initially embarrassed by the national interest in his story, but he wanted to promote awareness of living kidney donations and the nationwide shortage. 

Close to 360,000 people visit the bustling tourist attraction daily, according to the Times Square Alliance, but Weiner just needed the right person to see his ad. 

 Approximately 1,800 people responded — including Michael Lollo. It  was the largest single response the National Kidney Registry has ever had, said Lollo, who now works as the National Kidney Registry’s chief strategy officer. 

Lollo, 50, was then an NYPD detective. The West Babylon man had attempted to donate his kidney to a fellow cop, but it didn’t pan out. When he saw news reports about Weiner’s ad, he felt compelled to act. Although he wasn’t a match for Weiner, Lollo donated his kidney to another stranger, calling the billboard “the second jolt” he needed to donate. 

“Within four months I heard about living kidney donations twice — that was the trigger,” he said. “I didn't hear a voice; it wasn’t like that. … Something just clicked: I could do this.”  

When Weiner learned of Lollo’s donation, inspired by his billboard, he showed up at his hospital room with a basket of Kron Chocolatier sweets in hand. 

“It was an instant connection, and we’ve stayed connected all the way through,” Lollo said. 

Weiner added: “It didn’t matter” that Lollo, whom he called his "angel,” wasn’t a match. “What mattered was that the process, it triggered something. … And I knew at some point in time I was going to get it.” 

He turned again to the magic of Times Square billboards in December 2020 in hopes of finding a kidney. His wish was granted by a Connecticut woman.

Hilary Baude, 40, was watching television on New Year's Eve 2020 at her Waterford home with her daughters when she saw Weiner’s story, which featured Lollo. The news clip was just a few minutes long, but that’s all it took to persuade the kindergarten teacher and marathon runner to donate a kidney. She registered that night. 

“It was just immediately something I knew I would do,” Baude said. “I just feel like I did my part as a human being.” 

Baude intended to donate to Weiner, for whom she was a match, but he couldn’t receive a transplant at the time due to medical complications. Instead, Baude donated to a complete stranger. Her donation gained Weiner a voucher — or what’s colloquially referred to as a "golden ticket" — which prioritized Weiner to receive a kidney. Three other people who saw Weiner’s second billboard also donated kidneys to strangers, Lollo said.

After years of waiting, Weiner received notice in late March that a match had been located. 

“I just started to cry,” said his wife, Lisa. “It’s been a very long journey.” 

Now, as Weiner gets healthier, he plans to visit universities as his daughter, Lily, schedules college tours. He’d also like to play a full-court game of basketball and see what the hype about pickleball is about. After years of limited trips because of his condition, Weiner said he plans to treat his family to a “real holiday,” perhaps to Spain or South Africa, anywhere they want to go.

“Life to me is the most precious gift,” he said.

For information about living kidney donation, visit kidneyregistry.org.