Meet Mike
I met Mike Handfield over 50 years ago. We were high school sweethearts. Together, we started our careers and family. We worked hard at keeping active and physically fit only to discover, soon after retirement to Lake Havasu City, AZ, that Mike had undiagnosed kidney disease caused by hypertension and diabetes.
-
Today, Mike is one of more than 800,000 Americans living with End Stage Kidney Disease.
-
He's on the National Kidney Registry (NKR) as he waits for his donated kidney. Yet, the Registry grows longer daily -- with roughly 45,000 new patients added each year.
-
And, only 20,000 DECEASED-donor kidney transplants are conducted annually. The rest of the potential recipients wait --- many for 3 to 10 years --- if they can survive that long.
-
Tragically, thousands die each year simply because time ran out before a donor came forward.
​
For nearly 40 years, Mike served the public as a police officer, detective, sergeant, lieutenant, and police captain.
Much of his career was spent protecting the most vulnerable --- investigating and supervising domestic violence, child abuse, homicide, and other cases most people could never imagine.
He faced the worst of humanity so others could be safe. Even in retirement, Mike continued to help resolve cold cases, bringing closure to familites he doesn't even know. That's just who he is.
-
Mike is "that guy."
-
The one who never leaves anyone behind.
-
The one who puts others before himself.
-
The one who shows up -- every single time.
Mike had a distinguished career.
He was selected as Officer of the Year (1983), Investigator of the Year (1990) and Sergeant of the Year (1995).
​
As a Supervisor, Mike twice received a Meritorious Medal of Merit (1995 and 1997) and twice received the Commitment to Service Award (2001 and 2003) for his Distinguished Service.
​
From 1994 to 2007, Mike served as the Department's Public Information Officer, where he acted as the spokesperson between the Department, the media and community.
​
Even in retirement, Mike continued to help resolve unsolved homicide cold cases, bringing closure to people he's never met.
We are a close, loving family in search of a hero.
My deepest wish is for Mike to live long enough to see our beautiful daughter fall in love. Now that we've retired, my hope is that we get to enjoy time with friends and family. And, every single day, I pray for us to be able to grow old together.
That is my quest --- to live life with Mike.
To find Mike's page on the National Kidney Registry website, please click the button above or scan the QR code below
