Out Apple CEO Tim Cook: I offered part of my liver to dying Steve Jobs
Apple CEO Tim Cook reportedly offered to donate part of his liver to the company’s former head Steve Jobs when he was diagnosed with cancer.
According to a new book, Mr Cook – who came out as gay last year – offered to donate part of his own liver to former boss Steve Jobs when he was suffering with the illness.
Men who have sex with men were permanently banned from giving blood in the US at the time – but different rules apply to organ donations.
According to Becoming Steve Jobs by Rick Tetzeli, Mr Cook said of the offer: “[Steve] cut me off at the legs, almost before the words were out of my mouth.
“[He said]: ‘No, I’ll never let you do that. I’ll never do that.’
“I mean, here’s a guy, he’s dying, he’s very close to death because of his liver issue, and here’s someone healthy offering a way out.
“I said ‘Steve, I’m perfectly healthy, I’ve been checked out. Here’s the medical report. I can do this and I’m not putting myself at risk, I’ll be fine.’
“And he doesn’t think about it. It was not ‘are you sure you want to do this?’
“It was ‘no, I’m not doing that!’ He kind of popped up in bed and said that. And this was during a time when things were just terrible.
“Steve only yelled at me four or five times during the 13 years I knew him, and this was one of them.”
“Somebody that’s selfish doesn’t reply like that.”
Steve Jobs eventually underwent a liver transplant in 2009 – though Mr Cook was not the donor. He passed away two years later, in October 2011.
