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PrintThe journey continues for an "American Idol" star
The Bixby resident continues his musical pursuits in the face of renal failure and an impending kidney transplant.
When singer Matt Breitzke was eliminated from “American Idol” in February 2009, he calls it a blessing in disguise.
During the previous two weeks in Hollywood, he had been getting sick daily and knew something was wrong. But he kept pushing through in the hopes of earning enough votes to continue on the show.
However, when he returned home to Bixby, Breitzke’s health quickly deteriorated. He visited his doctor, Dr. Michelle Neil, who did some blood work. Expecting that he merely had a sinus infection or maybe the flu, later that day Breitzke was sent directly to the hospital, where he stayed for a week and a half.
As he soon learned, Breitzke was in complete renal failure and his kidneys were shutting down, potentially the result of hypertension that had gone unchecked.
Now, Breitzke, 29, is undergoing dialysis every other day and is awaiting a kidney transplant.
“Quite honestly, it was a sheer gift from God that I got sent home (from ‘Idol’) when I did,” he says. “Otherwise, I wouldn’t be here.”
Up until that point, Breitzke’s run on “Idol” was somewhat of a Cinderella story. A welder, Breitzke auditioned in Kansas City, where he advanced to the Hollywood round and eventually earned a spot among the Top 36 contestants. Along the way, he had the opportunity to train with some of the country’s top vocal coaches and also says he made many friends, some of whom have visited him and his family — including wife Shelly and 4-year-old son Travis — in Oklahoma.
Even with his health challenges, Breitzke has continued his musical pursuits. In May, he helped form the band Dixietrain, a country, Southern rock and blues group that has performed a few live gigs in the area. Breitzke met his drummer, Rob Simpson, when the two were swapping lawn equipment on craigslist. Simpson then introduced Breitzke to guitarists Jay Teague and Steve Petree, as well as bassist Jean Nunn.
“At least in the Tulsa area, I’d like to become a household name,” Breitzke says. “And once we get past my transplant, we’re definitely planning on going, at minimum, regional. We’ll just see what kind of momentum we pick up because that will tell us where we’re at and where we’re gonna go.”
Although he admits that renal failure “isn’t a whole lot of fun,” Breitzke is taking his health challenges in stride. He says the experience, combined with his “Idol” recognition, have even given him a platform to share his challenges and triumphs with others, particularly at his church, LifeChurch in Bixby.
“Basically (the key is) just trying to stay as positive as possible to show people that this isn’t something that’s going to get me down and hopefully be able to put other people who don’t have perfect lives in a better place also,” he says. “My life isn’t perfect, but it’s still a really good one.”
Giving is easy
Green Country residents will now have an easier time donating plasma. In January, BioLife Plasma Services, a multimillion-dollar facility, opened in Broken Arrow. The center is one of 65 centers in the U.S. and Europe.
Plasma is needed across the United States, and the center is working to encourage more people to donate, says Dominick Inzerillo, a spokesman for BioLife.
Plasma is the pale-yellow-liquid part of the blood, composed of water and proteins. The body can replace plasma easily. The plasma from BioLife Plasma is used to treat serious disorders, such as hemophilia and immune system deficiencies, and to make products used to help treat and prevent diseases, including tetanus, rabies, measles, rubella and hepatitis B.
Donors can give up to twice a week and are compensated for their time but must schedule an appointment.
For more information, visit www.biolifeplasma.com. The Oklahoma Blood Institute also accepts plasma donations. Visit www.obi.org for more information.
