Our top ten New Zealanders: Grant Kereama

Grant Kereama

* Grant Kereama, Kidney donor

Grant Kereama used to be best known as a radio personality and former presenter of Lotto. Now he is known as the man who gave a kidney to Jonah Lomu. In a secret, selfless act of generosity, he decided his friend's need came above his own discomfort.

The two had been close friends for several years. Kereama and Lomu had tried to keep their pact under wraps and Kereama, remarkably for someone with a public profile, courted privacy, not publicity. But the media can be unrelenting and, briefly, they gave in to heavy demand and in a statement Kereama explained: "I had two kidneys and I am in great health. Jonah was not well and was in need of one. It was very simple for me. It's a very private pact between Jonah and I. I don't think it is for others to judge or comment on."

Since then he has avoided any attempts at glorifying his gift of life. But Kereama has a reputation for generosity. He took part in the Fight for Life Yellow Ribbon fundraiser last year, losing in good humour to colleague DJ Nick Trott, and once administered life-saving CPR to a man at a rugby match. Fight for Life organiser Dean Lonergan has said he is one of the most generous human beings on the planet.

Kereama is a father of three and is married to radio personality Pauline Gillespie.


Experts said the kidney removal surgery was more painful than the transplant surgery, but Kereama never flinched. His gift to Lomu is perhaps best summed up by the words of the big man himself in a canvas interview: "I was blown away by it, getting the phone call from him. I thought me and him were just going to talk cars and stuff and he went all serious. How do you repay something like that? There's no money in this world that could repay it."