Total Breakdown: Ivan Cleary broke down in tears when he broke the awful news about this important player and provided a heartbreaking update.
Up until last year, when his condition quickly deteriorated, the diagnosis was dire but manageable.
His kidney function dropped to less than 10%, and the doctors told him he would either require dialysis three times a week or an urgent transplant.
After racing to the hospital, Cleary, his older brother Stuart, and Ash’s wife Bonnie underwent tests to determine who would make the best kidney donor.
The examinations, which lasted six months, included CT scans, ultrasounds, and blood tests. Ivan turned out to be the best candidate for the procedure, as they finally disclosed.
Ash Cleary (pictured), Ivan’s brother, was suffering greatly from a disease that made him in dire need of a kidney.
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Ash Cleary (pictured), Ivan’s brother, was suffering greatly from a disease that made him in dire need of a kidney.
As Nathan Cleary (pictured, left) watched his father (right) and uncle struggle, he said the seriousness of the surgery came as a huge reality check.
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As Nathan Cleary (pictured, left) watched his father (right) and uncle struggle, he said the seriousness of the surgery came as a huge reality check.
On October 13, Ivan was wheeled into surgery without thinking about the risks involved, and Ash came in after him.
It resembled an auto shop in some ways. My kidney had to be removed first, thrown onto the bench, cleaned up, and then thrown directly into Ash, he said.
After the surgery, Ash felt ill for three days, which worried Ash’s family that he was rejecting the kidney.
As Nathan Cleary watched his father and uncle struggle in the weeks that followed the surgery, he said that the seriousness of the procedure came as a huge reality check.
“I didn’t realize how important and big of a procedure it was until I went into the hospital. When I walked in, Ash and Dad were both in pretty bad shape. He told the Telegraph, “It was actually very hard to see, and they weren’t OK for a few days.”
Fortunately, Ash’s kidney rejection lessened, and he recovered fully.
As their son Nathan guided the young Blues team to just their second State of Origin series victory in 13 years, Ash and Ivan were able to support him.
