Temporary stay not enough for Stamford father in failing health

By Erin Kayata

STAMFORD — A city man suffering from kidney failure is fighting to stay in the country long enough to get a transplant.

Nelson Rosales Santos, who needs dialysis several days a week, received a small victory on Thursday when he was granted a six-month stay of deportation to Honduras.

But it may not be long enough, according to Catalina Horak, an advocate for Santos and founder of Stamford’s Building One Community immigrant center.

Horak said Mount Sinai Hospital will only perform the transplant if Santos, who is scheduled to receive a kidney from a private donor at the end of the summer, gets a year-long stay in the U.S.

”Right now, it's a catch-22," Horak said. ”The whole thing is how can we get the support we need so he can have the time required for the transplant? That's the goal. He's super happy, but not having more time is kind of kicking it down the road as opposed to having a permanent solution.”