Giving One For The Team
by Jeff Kagan
Fans of Larry David’s Curb Your Enthusiasm may remember
the classic scene where Larry dies on the operating table and drifts up to
heaven. He is confronted by his mother (played by Bea Arthur in her last television role) and she yells at him, “Who
goes around giving their kidney to people? IDIOT!”
It isn’t everyday you hear about someone doing a selfless
act such as donating one of their kidneys, but Brandon Mayberry is just that
kind of guy. Ask his partner, Yaron Avitov. A year ago, Brandon donated one of his kidneys to Yaron’s
mother. Tests indicated that Brandon was a suitable donor, showing their tissue
match to be one-in-a-million, almost as close as if the donor was a blood
relative. He had some serious thinking
to do. “It was a tough decision to make, and one I didn’t take lightly, but in
the end I felt it was the right thing to do. I have no regrets.” Brandon says
he’s feeling better than ever and he’s back to his normal self again.
Standing 6’3” and looking like he just walked off the set
of a 1940's era Hollywood picture, Brandon spends a lot of his time facing the
footlights at the Metropolitan Opera.
He is a chorister in his fourth season and gives some credit to the old Warner
Bros. cartoons for his current profession. Apparently, watching Elmer Fudd
chasing Bugs Bunny while singing, “Kill
the wabbit!” planted a seed that eventually grew into a love for opera. "Too bad they don't make cartoons
like that anymore”, says the bass-baritone.
Back in his cartoon watching days, Brandon was not like
the other boys. His interests lied less with sports and more in the world of music
and entertainment. He focused primarily on the arts (band, chorus, musicals).
Think "Glee". He says,
"Music and singing gave me the confidence to get through many tough times
that would have otherwise been insurmountable during junior high and high
school. It gave me an identity and it was something I excelled at." However, he didn’t avoid sports
entirely – in fact, he spent many hours playing 1-on-1 in his driveway with his
best friend in high school. “Athletically, I was
definitely not so gifted, but always enjoyed the competition and camaraderie.
I'm an avid fan of basketball, football, and baseball, and have been since I
started collecting trading cards as a child.”
Years later, Brandon started playing basketball again –
just some pick-up games – in his building which has a half court. A friend
mentioned the New York City Gay
Basketball League, but Brandon didn’t think it would be a good fit for him.
He had never played organized basketball, and he worried that his game wasn’t
up to speed. With a lot of encouragement from friends who already played in the
league, Brandon finally gave it a shot. “I've
had to learn some of the finer points about playing – with referees –
the hard way, but that’s how you learn. I feel more confident with each game I
play”, he says. He likes the diversity that the league offers, drawing in
people from various backgrounds. He’s built a good circle of new friends. “I
can't think of a better way to spend my Sunday than running up and down the
court playing basketball.”
The New York City Gay Basketball League’s Spring Season
starts on March 10th.
Registration closes February 24th. More at www.nycgaybasketball.org.
