As a Bruin, Hernando Marroquin ’74 bleeds blue and gold through and through. But in July 2023, the Ohio State Buckeyes became a vital part of his life.
In the summer of 2021, Marroquin began experiencing symptoms of kidney failure. Over the next two years, he made significant lifestyle changes in an effort to protect his health, including adopting a vegan diet. Years earlier, Hernando had also undergone bypass surgery.
After connecting with Dr. Anjay Rastogi, head of nephrology and the CORE Kidney Program at UCLA Health, Marroquin was placed on the transplant waitlist and became a candidate for the program. Not long after learning he would need a new kidney, three individuals stepped forward as potential donors. But after a series of detailed and rigorous screenings, each was ruled out as a match.
Then, on July 20, 2023, came the call. A donor had been found. Five days later, on July 25, 2023, Hernando underwent a successful kidney transplant. The new kidney functioned immediately. But the question remained: who had offered their kidney to a complete stranger?
Because of HIPAA privacy laws, the Marroquins were initially unable to connect directly with the donor. That didn’t stop them from trying. After a series of messages sent to the recipient via a transplant coordinator, the Marroquins connected with the donor in the winter of 2024.
The donor was Dave Jessen — a retired mechanical engineer from Wapakoneta, Ohio, and a lifelong Buckeyes fan. Phone calls followed. A friendship began to take shape. And when the opportunity arose to meet in person, the setting felt almost too fitting.
On Nov. 15, 2025, Marroquin’s Bruins traveled to Columbus to face Jessen’s Buckeyes. Before kickoff, the UCLA Alumni Association hosted a Bruin Bash pregame event at the Schottenstein Center on the campus of Ohio State University.
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