A former Winnipeg Blue Bomber says giving the gift of life to his father was a no-brainer.
Mike Abou-Mechrek, who spent five of his 10 pro seasons in blue and gold, is recovering in his current home of Regina after donating a kidney to his dad, and he told 680 CJOB he wants all Canadians to know how easy — and life-saving — being an organ donor can be.
“Anybody can do it,” Abou-Mechrek said. “It is special, I suppose, but it really wasn’t a decision for me — my dad needed help, I could help him, so you do it.
“It’s such an easy process… A week out of my life gave my dad another 10 years.”
Abou-Mechrek, an offensive lineman who spent two separate stints in Winnipeg, wearing Bombers colours from 1999-2001 and again from 2005-06, said he first recognized the benefits of organ donation during his time in the city.
“A couple of decades ago, while I was with the Bombers, my ex-wife actually donated a kidney to her dad while we were together.
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“I’ll never forget going to the recovery room minutes after he came out of surgery, and the man looked like he just came back from Jamaica.”
Abou-Mechrek said seeing the immediate impact it made on his former father-in-law meant it was an easy decision when his own father needed the same surgery.
“When my dad needed a kidney, I said, ‘All right, let’s go get tested.’
“If you knew how much good you could do, you would do it.”
Although Abou-Mechrek currently lives in Regina — where he played for the Saskatchewan Roughriders in their 2007 Grey Cup victory over the Bombers — he’s still passionate about Winnipeg, even if he gets some looks for wearing Bombers gear.
“It’s tough, because living in Regina, I can’t wear my Winnipeg gear as much. You’ve got to suppress it,” he said.
“The best thing out of Winnipeg is my daughter, who was born there… and a football career when no one else wanted to give me a chance. I have love for the Bombers, the city of Winnipeg… They are part of my family.”
More information on organ donation in Manitoba is available online at Sign Up for Life.
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