Longtime Detroit sports announcer Bobb Vergiels, known for his work with the Detroit Tigers, Detroit Lions and Michigan Wolverines, is preparing to return to the microphone after receiving a life-saving kidney transplant.
Vergiels, 74, underwent transplant surgery in July at Henry Ford Health after being diagnosed with stage four kidney failure.
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The veteran announcer said he was initially hesitant about receiving a donor kidney because of his age.
"I kind of resisted having a kidney transplant," Vergiels said. "My thing was, look, I'm in my 70s. If you have a kidney for somebody, why don't you give it to some guy in his 50s? Because he's got a whole lot more time to go. I may not. But they said, 'No, you're healthy.'"
For years, Vergiels was a familiar voice at some of Michigan's biggest sporting events, serving as an in-game announcer for the Tigers, Lions and Wolverines. He also announced every Detroit start by former Tigers pitcher Justin Verlander during his tenure with the club.
More recently, Vergiels continued calling games for the Toledo Mud Hens and Toledo Walleye. He said he worked his final Mud Hens game just three days before undergoing surgery.
The transplant became possible after a fan approached Vergiels at a Toledo Walleye game in January and offered to donate a kidney after learning about his condition.
According to Dr. Atsushi Yoshida, division head of transplant surgery at Henry Ford Health, the fan was ultimately a better match for another recipient. Through a kidney paired exchange, Vergiels received a compatible donor kidney from another participant in the exchange network.
"When you start getting kidney disease, you start feeling a little bit crummier over time," Yoshida said. "Once you get a transplant, it's like a fountain of youth a little bit. You feel stronger, healthier and you kind of bounce back."
Vergiels said the fan's generosity played a major role in helping him pursue the transplant.
"I've got two grandkids who will be graduating from college soon. I've got one grandkid who's going to be graduating from law school. I want to live to see that," Vergiels said. "And now I've got a pretty good shot at doing that."
The woman who offered to donate her kidney has chosen to remain anonymous.
Vergiels is expected to return to announcing at the Toledo Walleye's home opener on Nov. 7.
