“He offered without asking”: How Tom Brady turned a $30,000 cleats auction into support for organ transplant patients in memory of his late mentor

Tom Brady built his NFL career around winning championships, but one of his most personal commitments had little to do with football. The former New England Patriots quarterback quietly supported organ transplant patients through a charity connected to his late mentor, Tom Martinez. Even after Martinez died in 2012, Brady continued helping the cause through memorabilia auctions and fundraising, keeping a promise that began during one of his coach's toughest battles.The story came to light in a May 10, 2019 report by KTVU. It revealed how Brady continued supporting MatchingDonors.com years after losing the man who helped shape his career. His efforts also gave the Tom Martinez Goal Line Foundation a way to carry that work forward. How Tom Brady stepped in when his mentor needed a kidney transplantBrady's connection to the cause began in 2009. Martinez, who coached Brady at the College of San Mateo, needed a kidney transplant and turned to MatchingDonors.com for help. The nonprofit connects living organ donors with people waiting for transplants.Brady decided to use his public profile to bring attention to the organisation. He spoke about MatchingDonors.com before the Super Bowl and urged people to consider becoming donors. The appeal brought a huge response.Paul Dooley, the organisation's CEO, told KTVU in its May 10, 2019 report that Brady's involvement brought hundreds of potential donors. Seventeen people matched Martinez."Without Tom Martinez there would be no Tom Brady in the NFL," Tom Brady Sr. told KTVU.The coach had played an important role in Brady's development long before he became an NFL star. Martinez worked with him on his quarterback technique, and the two stayed in regular contact. Brady often turned to him whenever he needed help with his game.Their relationship went beyond football. Martinez's health struggle gave Brady a personal reason to support organ donation, and he did not hesitate to use his platform to help.However, the story took a heartbreaking turn in 2012. Martinez died of a heart attack just two weeks before his planned transplant. Despite the loss, Brady did not walk away from the cause. Tom Brady continued raising funds after losing Tom MartinezMartinez's death did not end Brady's involvement with organ donation. According to KTVU, the quarterback continued auctioning memorabilia and raising money in his mentor's memory.Those efforts supported the Tom Martinez Goal Line Foundation, which works to raise awareness about organ donation and support MatchingDonors.com.Dooley also spoke about Brady's continued support during the KTVU report. He explained that Brady helped without waiting for anyone to approach him."He never said no to us. He never said no to the Martinez family. He offered without asking," Dooley told KTVU.He further added, “He does it so quietly. It's amazing. We get checks in the mail and we know it's from him, but we can't tell anyone.”That support carried a personal connection for Brady. His former coach had helped him develop into an NFL quarterback, and he continued to honour that relationship long after Martinez's death.The issue also extended beyond one family. KTVU reported in May 2019 that around 114,000 people were waiting for organ transplants in the United States, while more than 8,000 died each year.Brady's efforts could not solve the organ shortage, but they helped bring attention to a cause that often receives little public coverage. His continued fundraising also gave Martinez's work a lasting purpose.In Brady’s case, the relationship with his former coach did not end when football sessions stopped. He kept supporting the cause that began with Martinez's search for a kidney, turning a personal loss into continued help for other transplant patients.Get the latest Sports News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.