‘Through all he’s battling, he’s still hopeful and has his faith’

PORT ALLEN — Todd Collins is a man known for his positivity and now, he’s fighting for his life thanks to a kidney disease.

Collins, a Port Allen native, is currently suffering from a kidney disease, acute heart failure, high blood pressure, cholesterol, and unexplained blood loss. He is also in the process of being placed on the kidney transplant list.

“Todd is always a high-spirited person,” his wife, Angel Collins, told UWK.

However, Angel says that her husband had been sick long before most people realized, because he has developed a reputation in his community for his smile and positivity.

“When he’s around people, it’s always a smile. He’s just a very happy, high-spirited person, very energized. He would do anything for anybody if he could, ” she added.

“He’s on dialysis seven days a week, that’s basically his lifeline.”

Angel explained that Todd has always been a Type II Diabetic, but they began noticing problems with his kidneys around 2020. Since 2021, she says Todd has been hospitalized over 10 times for various reasons. He also suffers from acute heart failure, high blood pressure and cholesterol, and unexplained blood loss. It’s why he’s awaiting his name on the kidney transplant list.

Angel recalled Todd’s condition taking a turn for the worse in August of last year.

“It really hit all at once to where he had to get on dialysis. That’s when his health started going down,” Angel said. “It happened so fast. We knew he was ill, but we didn’t know that he was going to be hospitalized, and we’d stay in the hospital for almost a month.”

Angel included that Todd is no longer active like he once was, and more often than not, he just feels weak.

“He tries to do something, but then he gets weak. He has his days where he’ll feel a little bit of energy but the moment he tries to go cut the yard, it takes a toll on him, and he has to go inside,” she said.

Due to Todd’s health conditions, she is the only one working, which has left a financial burden on their family. Right now, Angel is working to support their 10 and 18-year-old children.

“That’s why the benefit, I need it, I need the help. I’m normally not the kind of person to ask for help, ” Angel said.

The benefit will be held on Sunday, July 20, at 1822 Plantation Ave. in Port Allen. There will be live music, a bake sale, live auction, and jambalaya plates sold for $10. The benefit will begin at 11 a.m. and the auction will start at 1 p.m.

Lined up to perform is:

• Kenny Neal
• Tyree Neal
• Sammy Russo
• J.J. Callier
• Leroy Toussiant

A GoFundMe has also been organized. For those who prefer not to use GoFundMe, donations can also be made directly to Angel and Todd through Venmo or Cash App.

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