Helping a friend in need

By BRIAN DZENIS

bdzenis@vindy.com

CANFIELD

Dave Crawford is helping Canfield athletic director Greg Cooper by getting under his skin.

Cooper, who has nonalcoholic end-stage fatty liver disease-cirrhosis, has been awaiting a liver donor since June. Of the 46 potential donors who met the initial criteria to donate, the assistant wrestling coach proved to be the perfect match.

“It’s what we do,” Crawford said. “Greg is a great guy with a great family. If I can help them out, I wanted to do that. It worked out that I can.”

Crawford will donate 65 percent of his liver to Cooper in a transplant surgery taking place Monday at the Cleveland Clinic. Crawford said he needs 30 percent of his liver to survive, but in time, his will regenerate.

“The portion that he gives me will grow and regenerate and we’ll end up with a formerly sick athletic director with cirrhosis of the liver with a bad outcome to being healthy,” Cooper said. “God willing, we’ll be friends and if nothing else, we can send each other Christmas cards.”

Crawford was coaching at Canfield before Cooper started running the athletic department in 2006. He’s the father of three sons — all of whom are athletes. Former two-time state wrestling champion David is in his freshman season at Pitt. Junior Nick is the Cardinals’ starting running back with strong wrestling credentials and Michael is in his freshman year of high school.

“Dave is one of those parents that is supporting youth sports, middle school and high school sports,” Cooper said. “Certainly as his children came through the ranks, he’s been supportive not only with time and money, but working in the pits with [the kids]. He’s been a coach, mentor and supporter.

“He’s the type of parent that makes Canfield special.”

Dave pursued becoming a donor in private, not telling his sons what he was doing until two weeks before the surgery and beyond that, only a handful of people at Canfield knew before the school announced it during last Friday’s Battle of 224 with Poland.

“He told us when he got approved and I was in shock,” Nick said. “I didn’t see it coming, but I’m proud of what he’s doing. He’s a great father and a great guy.”

Dave Crawford met the basic needs: having an o-positive blood type, being at least 5-foot-5 and 150 pounds and being at least 50 years old. After three days of tests and some more of what Crawford called “poking and prodding,” he was the guy.

The pair face a long recovery. Dave will spend a week in the hospital before staying with his mother in Massillon for another week because he said he did not want to “be a distraction” to his family. He will miss the rest of football season and some of the wrestling season in the winter.

“My liver will take six to seven weeks to regenerate and I can’t lift more than three pounds for three months, so I can’t get on the wrestling mat with the kids, but I can still watch and coach,” Dave said. “I want this to be as normal for [my kids] as possible. Nick has a playoff game next week, I don’t want him worrying about me. David has to take care of business at Pitt and Michael is getting ready for wrestling season.”

Cooper will spend several days in the intensive care unit and after that, he can’t travel too far from the Cleveland Clinic for weeks.

“They want to make sure they get everything right, that there’s no complications and no rejection of the liver,” Cooper said. “I think it’s at least six weeks before they’ll lengthen my tether and I can return to some semblance of regular work.”

Cooper, one of the area’s most respected ADs, had a hard time fully explaining how much gratitude he had for Dave.

“There’s no way I can thank Dave individually or his family enough for what he’s doing and saying thank you is just... all you can say is thank you,” Cooper said.

Dave kept it simple for what he wants in return from his boss.

“Just take care of my liver.”