Clay and Omar | On Friendship | Ryan Shazier's 50 Phenoms

Clay Moorefield knew the perfect kidney donor for his friend Omar Foster.

Himself.

As he saw Omar’s health declining because of severe kidney failure, Clay knew he had to do something for the man he considers a brother. So he researched living kidney donations, talked to his family, prayed, and came to a “no-brainer” conclusion: He should donate his kidney.

Clay and Omar | On Healthy Living | Ryan Shazier's 50 Phenoms

A personal trainer by trade, Clay knew he was healthy, and that made him the “perfect person” to donate.

“I didn’t trust anybody else with giving him a kidney,” Clay said.

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Omar initially refused, worried for his friend. But Clay insisted, and in March 2018, the transplant took place.

Clay and Omar | On Rehab | Ryan Shazier's 50 Phenoms

From there, the partnership in health grew even stronger for Clay and Omar. While they were workout partners before the transplant, that ramped up after the procedure as Clay helped Omar build his strength back. They both feel stronger today, a year and a half since the transplant took place.
Clay and Omar | On Living Donation | Ryan Shazier's 50 Phenoms

Their bond is stronger, too. While they’re not related by blood, they’re linked by something else: a life-saving gift.

“I owe him my life, at the end of the day,” Omar says. “We don’t ever really have those kinds of conversations. He doesn’t feel like I owe him anything. But for me, it’s like this guy help saved my life. We just have a different bond. I actually have a piece of him inside of me, so it’s just forever.”

Editor's Note: This video was originally published on , and was last reviewed on .

About Transplant Services

For more than four decades, UPMC Transplant Services has been a leader in organ transplantation. Our clinicians have performed more than 20,000 organ transplant procedures, making UPMC one of the foremost organ transplant centers in the world. We are home to some of the world’s foremost transplant experts and take on some of the most challenging cases. Through research, we have developed new therapies that provide our patients better outcomes — so organ recipients can enjoy better health with fewer restrictions. Above all, we are committed to providing compassionate, complete care that can change – and save – our patients’ lives. Visit our website to find a provider near you.