💔 “She Took My Heart and Then Kicked It”
A Long Island mother who donated her kidney to save her boss’s life says she was cruelly repaid with a pink slip.

Debbie Stevens, 47, says her act of compassion turned into a nightmare after she offered to donate a kidney to her boss, Jackie Brucia, 61, only to be allegedly set up and fired after the surgery.

“I feel very betrayed. This has been a hurtful and horrible experience,” Stevens told the New York Post. “She took this gift and kicked it to the ground.”

❤️ A Life-Saving Gift Turns Sour

Stevens, a divorced mother of two, began working at Atlantic Automotive Group in 2009. After a brief move to Florida, she returned to Long Island in 2010 and reconnected with Brucia, who had mentioned needing a kidney transplant.

Stevens described as naturally kind and generous offered to be a donor. Brucia initially had another donor lined up, but when that fell through, she asked Stevens if the offer still stood. Stevens agreed, saying, “I didn’t want her to die.”

Doctors determined Stevens wasn’t a perfect match but could still participate in a paired donation. Her kidney was sent to a patient in Missouri, while Brucia received a compatible kidney from San Francisco.

🏥 Recovery, Pressure, and Humiliation

Following the August 2011 surgery, Stevens faced unexpected pain and health issues. Despite not being fully recovered, she says she was pressured back to work just weeks later while Brucia remained at home recovering.

Three days in, she called in sick. Brucia, from her home, allegedly scolded her:

“You can’t come and go as you please. People will think you’re getting special treatment.”

What followed, Stevens claims, was a campaign of hostility public scolding, a job demotion to a remote, unsafe area, and the removal of overtime privileges. Eventually, after seeking mental health help and involving lawyers, Stevens was fired.

⚖️ Legal Action

Stevens filed a complaint with the New York State Human Rights Commission, accusing Brucia and the company of discrimination and retaliation. Her attorney, Lenard Leeds, says a multimillion-dollar lawsuit is forthcoming.

“[Brucia] turns on her and she should have been kissing her feet,” added lawyer Jason Barbara.

💬 No Regrets

Despite everything, Stevens says she doesn’t regret the donation.

“It saved the life of a man in Missouri. I just wish my kindness hadn’t been so abused.”

Atlantic Automotive Group and Brucia have not publicly commented on the lawsuit. Brucia’s husband only said, “She didn’t fire anybody,” calling the claims “far from the truth.”