Ofo US team behind a bid to buy the Warriors
up, even though it would mean a probable end to his own football career.
“I’m the oldest of seven kids and it’s my responsibility to take care of the rest,” he told American media at the time. “If my siblings need blood, it will be my blood. If they need a kidney, it will be my kidney. We both stopped our careers for this, but I’d have done it even if I was a rookie with the Ravens. I have to lead by example.”
It wasn’t without complications. Just before the scheduled surgery, doctors doing routine tests on Chris discovered heart problems, and he had to have a quadruple coronary bypass instead. After recovering, he also had to undergo dialysis to prepare for the kidney transplant.
Both men arrived in hospital weighing close to 160kg and Ma’ake’s kidney (around 13cm in length) was described by the surgeon as one of the biggest he had seen, the size of a “small football”.
The younger Kemoeatu was also embroiled in controversy in 2015, when his lawyer filed a suit against the Steelers. Like most players in the NFL,
Chris had received numerous injections of Toradol, a highly powerful anti-inflammatory prescription drug used as a painkiller.
His lawyer alleged the club injected Chris without disclosing the possible long-term repercussions and also despite knowing he had a protein leak from his kidney when he joined.
The lawsuit claimed that the use of the drug had accelerated Chris’ kidney issues.
Since retiring, the Kemoeatu brothers have been active with their business and foundation interests.
They have brought the Sonic fast food drive-in chain to Hawaii, have three other companies registered in their names and also run a charitable foundation.