BYU–Hawaii recently welcomed a superhero to help promote a cause aimed at saving lives. Jason Momoa, who played Aquaman, visited the Church-owned university campus last week to increase awareness for the Be the Match registry.
Be the Match is a national bone marrow donor program that matches donors with patients in need. A simple cheek swab is all that is needed to join the registry and potentially be matched with someone in need now or in the future. The healthcare professionals club at BYU–Hawaii teamed up with Be the Match to host Momoa on campus, and as a result of the event, more than 350 volunteers joined the registry list.
In a video posted on BYU–Hawaii’s Facebook page, Momoa stands before a crowd on campus and says, “Oh, I love you all for coming!” He then welcomed a young boy named Rhyder, who is a local Hawaiian in need of a blood stem cell transplant, to the stage with him.
“I get emotional when I think about it, but even it if was my kids or your kids … it doesn’t take much. Just gotta swab a cheek, man, and you can save some lives. So from the bottom of my heart thank you for coming, and I love you. Aloha! And to Polynesia, thank you for showing up,” Momoa said.
The video goes on to show Momoa signing autographs, posing for pictures with students, and riding away on a Harley-Davidson motorcycle.
According to IMBd, Momoa is the father of two children, Nakoa-Wolf and Lola. Momoa was born in Honolulu, Hawaii, and named Joseph Jason Namakaeha Momoa. His father is of Native Hawaiian and Samoan descent.
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