When the boss asked for a kidney
In January 2011, Brucia called Debbie into her office and asked, “Were you serious about donating your kidney?” Debbie said, “Yes, of course. It’s no joke.” “I didn’t do it for job security. I didn’t do it for a raise. I did it because that’s just who I am. I didn’t want to see them die,” Debbie told ABC News.
But when the test was done, it was found that Debbie’s kidney was not a perfect match with Brusia. Doctors suggested a different approach – that Debbie donate her kidney to an unknown person in St. Louis, Missouri, which would put Brucia on the organ donor list. Debbie had surgery on August 10, 2011. During the operation, doctors accidentally damaged a vein in his leg, causing him stomach pain and digestive problems.
Real pain started after surgery
Four weeks later, Debbie returned to work. “That’s when the problems started. She started treating me very badly, cruelly, inhumanely,” he said. According to Debbie, Brucia would yell at her even for things she didn’t do. Brucia wouldn’t even let him get up from his desk.
After the surgery, Debbie started having medical problems. He had leg pain, stomach problems, frequent need to go to the bathroom and difficulty lifting heavy objects. But Brazil did not provide any facilities for this. Debbie had to ask permission even before going to the bathroom. Debbie said, “I don’t have words strong enough to describe the way they treated me. It was as if they hired me just to get my kidney.”,
Debbie told the New York Post that Brucia scolded her when she went home after surgery. His overtime was taken away, his office was changed, and he was ultimately transferred to a dealership 50 miles away.
When the lawyer wrote a letter, he got dismissal
Due to mental stress, Debbie consulted a psychiatrist. He also hired lawyers. In March 2012, Debbie’s lawyers sent a letter to the company. Within a week, Debbie was fired from her job. Atlantic Automotive Group fired Debbie due to “performance problems.” Debbie claims that she was not given any written warning nor was she put on any performance improvement plan.
fight in court
In April 2012, Debbie filed a formal complaint with the New York State Human Rights Commission. His allegation was that his boss used him only to get a kidney and then fired him. In October 2012, the New York State Division on Human Rights ruled that Debbie was unjustly fired. The board found “probable cause” that Atlantic Automotive Group discriminated. Debbie’s lawyer, Lennard Leeds, said he would file a discrimination suit and seek millions of dollars in compensation.
After several depositions and investigation, both parties reached an out-of-court settlement on September 30, 2014. The amount of the agreement was kept confidential. Atlantic Automotive Group never publicly acknowledged that Debbie was fired because of her recovery or because of her kidney donation.
debbie’s pain
Debbie told the New York Post in 2012, “I told my boss I decided to become a kidney donor, and he broke my heart. I feel so betrayed. It’s been a very painful and horrible experience for me. He threw this gift on the ground and kicked me.”
When ABC News and the New York Post asked AAG and Brucia for comment, they did not respond. However, Brucia’s husband James told a reporter that the claims were “far from the truth” and that Brucia “didn’t fire anyone”.
But Debbie said, “I have no regrets that I donated my kidney because it saved a man’s life.”
Why is this story going viral after 13 years?
In November of 2025, this old story again became popular on social media. A video was shared on Reddit, on which thousands of comments were received. People are saying:
