Dr. Joe Ordia

Dafidi and Abdul: Beyond Friends Dr. Joe Ordia

Dafidi and Abdul met in high school and they developed a strong friendship almost immediately. Dafidi is Jewish and Abdul is Arab, but, they did not let their ethnic differences get in the way.

They attended Boston College where they both played basketball; with Dafidi leading BC to the national playoffs. Then, Abdul was stricken with renal failure and discovered that he needed a kidney transplant. Dafidi was tested and found that he was a perfect tissue match with Abdul; he would donate a kidney at the end of the season after the championship game. But, just prior to the championship game, Abdul took a turn for the worse, and Dafidi had to make a decision: forsake his friend, or forgo the championship and save his friend.

The decision was easy for Dafidi. He calmly declared, "There are things in life that are more important than basketball."

Dafidi was dressed for the championship game, but no one really expected him to play, having donated a kidney only one week earlier. A technical foul was called against Louisville with the score tied and only two seconds to go and Dafidi was called to take the shot. Would Dafidi save the day and the game?