The GEM Debate: A Pound Of Flesh And A Firing; Is She Owed Anything? : Good Enough Mother

Jackie Brucia

We’re gonna dive into the sad, but murky tale of two women, a car group and a kidney. How’s that for a tease?

A Long Island woman is suing her former boss, claiming that she was fired after she donated one of her kidneys to her. Debbie Stevens used to work for Jackie Brucia at Atlantic Automotive Group. Stevens moved to Florida at one point, but went back to see the old gang during a visit up north. That’s apparently when Brucia detailed her health problems and her trouble finding a kidney donor. Stevens says being the “generous” woman she is, she offered to give her one of hers, something Brucia said she might have to take her up on. Oooookay.

When Stevens relocated to Long Island again, she asked her former boss if she could have her old job back. Brucia agreed and then two months later, laid it on her; her health was bad, the donor she had lined up, fell through and she wondered if Stevens’ offer was still good. Stevens agreed, and though she was not a direct match, gave one of her kidneys to a group that allowed Brucia to get hers from a donor match.

The problems began shortly after the operation. Stevens says she was in serious pain when she returned to work, something she says she felt pressured to do (Brucia was still at home recovering). After calling in sick a few times, she was demoted, moved to another dealership and eventually fired.

All of that leads us to this place, the lawsuit and Good Enough Mother to ask this question of Ms. Stevens: “WHAT WERE YOU THINKING?!”

Look, I feel bad because clearly Stevens has been through a lot. And she’s obviously nice; I mean she gave a kidney, for crying out loud. But to her boss? I’m not anti- organ donation and could easily see it for a family member. But the article doesn’t make it sound as though these women were especially close, so then why do it? This is major surgery and I guess that’s why it strikes me as so odd.

Now I have worked for some great bosses, ones I liked very much who were like mentors to me. But you know what I’m gonna give them? 8 to 10 and a commitment to excellence. And maybe a stick of gum. Maybe. A kidney? Not even on the radar.

What do you think was going on here? Did Stevens think, by giving of herself literally, she could secure herself a job for life or was she just incredibly naive? And what of Brucia? Do she and/or Atlantic Automotive Group owe Stevens anything, by way of job or money? And would you ever give a kidney to your boss?