Faces of the Games

MACK BAXTER, 60

Chicago, Illinois

Mack Baxter

Sick with liver disease, Mack Baxter, a dedicated high school science teacher and basketball coach, disliked the way his condition kept him away from his students. Having contracted Hepatitis B from a tainted blood transfusion 30 years earlier, Mack grew very sick in 1999 and was told he would one day need a liver transplant. By 2001, when he received the new organ, his health had deteriorated so much that he was no longer able to drive or teach. Upon receiving his liver transplant, Mack returned to teaching with a goal. He hoped to work a full school year with missing a day. Since then, Mack has earned two “Perfect Attendance” awards from the school.

 

Since the transplant, Mack has maintained a healthy and vigorous lifestyle, which includes teaching, coaching, competing in a bowling in a league, playing golf and training and competing as a “senior” member of the silver medal-winning Illinois 3-on-3 Basketball team, “Spare Parts,” at the 2004 US Transplant Games. In addition, Mack has participated in Individual Bowling, Team Bowling, Golf, and Volleyball. This June, Mack will return to the Games with the hopes of bringing home medals in Bowling, 3-on-3 Basketball, Golf.