The kidney donor who has given the New Zealand wing Jonah Lomu the chance to play international rugby again was yesterday revealed as a disc jockey who was one of the best known faces in the country when he presented the national lottery draw on television before resigning in 1996 after being involved in a much publicised affair.
The 37-year-old Grant Kereama has become a close friend of Lomu in recent years following the wing's move to Wellington to play Super 12 and provincial rugby. Kereama, along with his wife Pauline Gillespie, presents the nationally broadcast breakfast programme on Wellington's 91ZM radio station. His wish for anonymity was dashed last Friday when a website speculated that he was the donor and Kereama reluctantly went public yesterday.
"I had two kidneys and I am in great health," he said. "Jonah was not well and was in need of one. It was a very simple choice for me. I am disappointed that this has become public. It was a very private pact between Jonah and I, not something for others to judge or comment on. Jonah has been through an enormous ordeal and we just want him to be able to recuperate quietly."
Kereama was released from hospital last Friday and will resume his radio programme next week. He made his name in the 1990s when he presented the Lotto programme but resigned after newspaper revelations that he had had an affair with a waitress during a holiday in Washington. The following year he was fined £175 after admitting four charges of failing to file tax returns.
Lomu has not played since March last year because of complications caused by the dialysis he needed three times a week. He aims to play for the All Blacks again and take part in the 2007 World Cup but specialists are divided about whether he will add to his 63 caps. If Lomu does make it back, he would face an added complication because one of the anti-rejection drugs he will need to take for the rest of his life, prednisone, is on the World Anti-doping Agency's banned list.
"Lomu would be in a strong position to apply for a therapeutic use exemption," said Graeme Steel, the New Zealand Sports Drug Agency executive director.
