Yahoo Sports 
Ex-Raven quit football to donate a kidney to his brother, an ex-Steeler
The bond between the Kemoeatu brothers is so tight that when Chris' career with the Pittsburgh Steelers ended because he needed a kidney transplant, that was it for Ma'ake and his Baltimore Ravens career too.
"He couldn't play anymore, and I didn't want to be in a position where he couldn't play but I'd keep playing," Ma'ake Kemoeatu , a former nose tackle, said according to the Associated Press. "As soon as my brother's health was at risk I wanted to stop everything."
Chris Kemoeatu's health was more important than football, and Ma'ake Kemoeatu helped him in an incredible way, not only quitting his NFL career but donating a kidney.
The kidney transplant surgery on Aug. 27 went well, and the two talked to the media on Wednesday. Ma'ake, now 35, quit the Ravens in 2012. Chris, now 31, was a guard for the Steelers for seven seasons before his health forced him from the game.
[Join FanDuel's $1.25 million, 1-week fantasy league: $25 to enter; top 11,490 teams get paid]
It's funny to think of such a feelgood story between a Raven and Steeler, considering that's one of the hottest rivalries in the NFL, but obviously that's just football.
"I'm the oldest of the seven kids, and it's my responsibility to take care of my younger brothers and sisters," Ma'ake said according to the AP. "If my younger siblings need blood, it'll be my blood. If they need a kidney, it'll have to be my kidney."
Once the brothers fully recover, which should take about six weeks, they want to return to their native Hawaii. The surgery took place at the University of Maryland.
Hopefully they'll both have many, many more years to tell stories about when they were opponents on an NFL field, and how Ma'ake made a tremendous sacrifice for Chris.
"It definitely brought us closer as brothers," Chris Kemoeatu said.
- - - - - - -
Frank Schwab is the editor of Shutdown Corner on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at shutdowncorner@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter! Follow @YahooSchwab
