KROQ DJ Bean Gives A Kidney To A Co-Worker

LOS ANGELES (CBSLA.com) — The "Kevin and Bean" show on KROQ is known for humor.

But Gene "Bean" Baxter recently found himself in a life and death situation. He gave a co-worker one of his kidneys.

Scott Mason, the station's chief engineer of 30 years, had been on dialysis and never told anyone.  Mason told CBS News reporter Lee Cowan, "I didn't want anyone to think I was less capable than anybody else at work."

Bean did notice a difference in Mason recently. "He's moving kinda slow ...  didn't look that great and I thought 'Whoa what's going on?'"

Mason confessed -- he was on a waiting list for a kidney transplant. And he also said it could take upwards of eight years to get one.

Giving it a second of thought, Bean told Mason he would be willing to be a donor. "It wasn't a big emotional decision for me. I don't think that my part of this decision is all that big a deal. I'm not the one who has to do the hard work. All I have to do is go to sleep."

Mason received what he called "The Kidney Bean."

And to describe Mason as appreciative would be an understatement.  "I haven't figured the right words out that are three or four levels higher than thank you. What are those words?"

Bean's co-host Kevin marvels at his on-air partner.  "What he's doing is more than I would do you know? He's the better man than I am."

Mason and Bean had two different blood types. A new procedure, offered at only four hospitals in the country (Cedars-Sinai Medical Center is one) makes it possible for the organ transfer even with people of different blood types.

Just one day after the operation, Mason was gushing with thanks. "Thank you so much. You really changed my life really overnight."

Bean finally realized what he really had done... and fittingly on his birthday. "This is the best birthday I ever had."

Mason is trying to come up with ways to thank Bean beyond words. The deejay says all he wants is his friend to make a full recovery.

Bean plans on being back to work next week.

Reporting for CBS2 and KCAL9, Suzie Suh reports that Bean wrote on the KROQ website Wednesday, "The most thankfullest Thanksgiving ever."