About
About Rolf
Rolf grew up in Forest Hills, a neighborhood in New York City where he attended elementary, junior high, and high school. Rolf learned to love New York at an early age, often visiting the cultural and historical landmarks of the city, which he claims was his best education. Building on that foundation, Rolf went on to pursue a degree in Business Administration at Wagner College.
During the summers, Rolf enjoyed his job as a bellman at a midtown Manhattan hotel. To this day, he recounts many of his experiences with the multitude of diverse people he met, some of whom were very well known.
After graduation, he started a family and bought a home, remaining in Forest Hills, to raise his two sons. Unfortunately, his younger son tragically passed away shortly after his 29th birthday. He maintains a special relationship with his older son, Rolf (not a junior). As his only surviving blood relative, his son would be a prime candidate for kidney donation, however, he has been deemed ineligible due to his own health conditions.
Realizing that he knew very little about insurance, he started his career with the New York State Insurance Department. He has been dedicated to public service for over 46 years, most recently with the State of Colorado in his current role as Deputy Commissioner of Finance within the Division of Insurance, and has developed relationships with various insurance regulators across the United States and overseas.
Rolf likes classic rock, jazz, and alternative music, and enjoys classic movies. Rolf appreciates zoos, aquariums, live cultural events, various kinds of museums, and travel that includes visiting family and which fuels his interests of history, science, and nature. But above all, Rolf is a sailor. He was certified as a sailor on New York Bay, owned a sailboat, and to this day can take the wheel with ease which he’s done most recently on Key West, Sarasota Bay, Florida and Traverse Bay, Michigan.
And then there’s Andrea, his wife, who he met while working at the New York State Insurance Department, but there’s a whole section on their story. Read on!
Rolf &
Andrea’s Story
Rolf and Andrea met at the New York State Insurance Department after Rolf’s divorce and while Andrea was cautiously awaiting her soul mate.
While commuting to downtown Manhattan, Rolf and Andrea would see each other on the Staten Island Railway at the Heugenot station and then on the Staten Island Ferry. Although they knew each other from work, they would cordially greet one another and then began meeting each other at the same time, having engaging discussions and soon became friendly, each looking forward to meeting during the start and end of the workdays.
That friendship which was the foundation of their relationship, blossomed and grew to a love of respect, trust, and commitment that rooted immediately and in which they were rarely apart. They spent that first year traveling a lot and solidified their desire to relocate. After narrowing down locations with a specific criteria, Rolf then secured a position at the State of Colorado which solidified where they would move and they found the home they live in and adore today. They moved their belongings themselves and drove across the country three different times, and to this day, Andrea will share despite some quick cat naps on her part, the both of them talked and laughed the entire time. They were married in Colorado at the notable Brown Palace Hotel. When Andrea also secured a job at the State of Colorado, Rolf & Andrea again were commuting together like back in NY. They both enjoyed working 3 blocks away from one another, and when COVID hit, they were appreciative of the opportunity to both work remotely.
Rolf & Andrea have enjoyed numerous things about living in Colorado, including Rocky Mountain National Park, the Vance Brand Longmont regional airport, the Longmont Museum, Jester’s dinner theater in Longmont, the Brass Armadillo Antique Mall in Wheat Ridge, the Holiday Twin drive in theater in Fort Collins which was a regular outing during COVID, and definitely the Candlelight Dinner Theater in Johnstown. They have been blessed with meeting so many treasured friends and continue to host parties at their home, as well as meeting with them at various points around the state, as well as in Cheyenne, Wyoming!
3 Surprising Facts About Kidney Donation
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A Paired Exchange Can Multiply the Impact
If you aren’t a direct match for Rolf, you can still help through a paired exchange program. This “kidney swap” allows your donation to go to someone else, while their donor’s kidney goes to Rolf.
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You Can Live a Full Life With Just One Kidney
Most people are surprised to learn that you only need one kidney to live a long, healthy, and active life. Donors go on to exercise, travel, and do everything they did before donation.
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Donors Receive Priority if Their Family Needs a Kidney
If a living donor’s family member ever needs a kidney transplant in the future, the donor is given priority on the transplant list.
