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2015 RIDER

 JOHN BROCKINGTON

Kidney Recipient
Age 66 ~ San Diego, CA
Green Bay Packers Hall of Famer

Sponsored by Donate Life America


An All-American running back at Ohio State University, John Brockington helped his team to win the National Championship in the 1968 Rose Bowl. He then became the Green Bay Packers' first pick in the 1971 NFL draft and broke records and garnered honors for his team and himself. In 1984, he was accepted into the Packers Hall of Fame. After moving to San Diego, John became friends with long-time Packers fan Diane Scott. When John suffered kidney failure in 2000, Diane offered to become his donor and on November 28, 2001, 5'2" Diane donated her kidney to her 6'1" friend. They married after he returned to health. Together, they direct the John Brockington Foundation to increase organ donation and raise funds for pre- and post-transplant patients. John is also on the board of directors of Donate Life America, as well on the advisory boards of both Explore Transplant and Lifesharing. John will ride the Donate Life float while his donor wife Diane walks proudly alongside him as living donor.


John's Story

An All-American running back at The Ohio State University under coach Woody Hayes, John Brockington was a part of the class of 1970 "Super Sophomores" who won the National Championship in the 1968 Rose Bowl, returning again in 1970. In the 1971 NFL draft, John was the Green Bay Packers' first pick. He nabbed All-Pro and NFC Rookie of the Year honors and went on to become the first running back in NFL history to surpass 1,000 yards in each of his first three seasons. In just his second year, John helped carry the Packers to the NFC Central Division championship, something they wouldn't do again until 1995. A three-time Pro Bowler, John was inducted into the Packers Hall of Fame in 1984.

After moving to San Diego, he became friends with long-time Packers fan Diane Scott, who had watched John play while a student in Wisconsin. The two met in a local deli where Diane graded her college students' papers. When John suffered kidney failure in 2000, Diane and her twin daughters offered to become his donor. In an amazing example of matching that defied ethnicity and size, the 5'2" donor was able to offer her smaller kidney to her 6'1" friend. The transplant took place on November 28, 2001, and 13 years later, her kidney is still "performing like a champ."

After returning to health and capping a decade of friendship, John and Diane married. Together, they direct the John Brockington Foundation which supports pre- and post- transplant patients in Southern California with free screenings; classes to educate people about donation; food vouchers to sustain patients on dialysis; and the largest donor registration drive in San Diego to help reduce the wait for all organs.

In addition to his work with the Foundation, John, with Diane serves on the board of directors of Donate Life America, as well as the advisory boards of both Explore Transplant and Lifesharing. John is also the recipient of the 2013 Ernest H. Wright Humanitarian Award from the San Diego Hall of Champions. The two will be together on New Year's Day as John rides the float and his donor wife Diane walks proudly alongside him as the banner for living donation.

"I was blessed to be someone who received a transplant-and I know how many people are on the waiting list hoping for their second chance at life", said John. "Our Foundation is all about shortening the transplant list: keeping people from being added to it through early screenings, sustaining those on it through nutritional assistance, and getting everyone off sooner through living donation and organ donor registration."