Boca Raton art teacher works to overcome kidney disease and inspire his students

BOCA RATON, Fla. - Torrey Green teaches art at Don Estridge High Tech Middle School. He starts every year with the same speech.  

"I let the kids know that I'm on dialysis, and that some days are better than others," said Green. "If I'm in a bad mood, or if I'm really tired, it has nothing to do with them, it's because of my illness, and I explain everything about it."

Green said he does it to inform his students, so they won't be shocked to see him on his bad days.  

"They see me walking with a cane and want to know why I have a cane sometimes. 'Why do you have that armband on your arm sometimes?' This answers their questions," said Green.

Those bad days are, unfortunately, pretty regular.  

"I have to go every Monday, Wednesday and Friday night, and it's exhausting. They remove upwards of five pounds of fluid. It takes a tremendous toll on the body," said Green.

It's a toll Green refuses to pay. He's still teaching and still inspiring his students to do their best, no matter the obstacles standing in their way.  

"It's his enthusiasm, plus he came there every day -- tried to go with a smile on his face, even though he wasn't feeling well, because of the dialysis. He'd have to use the cane," said Brandon Gin, one of Green's former students.  

"I realized if I go on disability, I'll have no point in living. It will just be go to dialysis, come home and recover, and go back to dialysis. I didn't want that to be my life. I really enjoy the kids. I love my job," added Green.

With any luck, Green may be in for a bright future. His name went on a two-year transplant waiting list about a year ago, and he also has a profile on helphopelive.com, a site dedicated to helping those in need of organ transplants.  

Once Green receives a transplant, there are still months of medical tests ahead, to ensure the organ functions normally.