On November 28, 2022, two San Francisco Bay Area residents celebrated a momentous occasion. Daniel “Deuce”
Schwartz, the San Francisco 49ers’ Offensive Quality Control Coach and a Gift of Life Marrow Registry stem cell
donor, met Tony Hartman, the man whose life he spared. Tony is not only a San Francisco resident, but also an avid
49ers supporter!
He recovered from Acute Myeloid Leukemia after receiving a peripheral blood stem cell transplant from Deuce.
The launch was part of the National Football League’s “My Cause, My Cleats” project, which is sponsored by Shoe
Palace. Although there was no game that day, the long-awaited encounter between the two men took place on the
field at Levi’s® Stadium in Santa Clara, California. In the United States, patients must remain anonymous for the
first year following their transplant, so meeting them is an extraordinary experience.
“It was amazing,” Tony said. “When he walked out, I wanted to run and hug him, but I had to sit still for the video
cameras, which were all lined up for the shot. Then we hugged, and I burst into tears. I am not a crier at all; it simply
spilled out of me.”
“Once I received the phone call that I was a match, I was all in,” Deuce remarked. “knowing you can help save
someone’s life is more motivation to do something than anything else you can think of.”
Deuce entered the registry as a volunteer stem cell or marrow donor at the age of 19 while on a Birthright Israel tour
of the nation. The Gift of Life Marrow Registry came in to give a presentation about the need for new donors to join
the registry and assist save the lives of people fighting blood cancer and hereditary immunological diseases.
“There was only one benefit to joining the registry, and I’m all about helping people,” said Deuce, who filled out a
simple cheek swab kit and health questionnaire on the spot. Nine years later, he received a remarkable phone call
from the organization’s Florida headquarters, informing him that he had matched a patient in need and had the
possibility to save a life.
“I donated in October 2021 during the football season so the timing was a little tricky,” Deuce remarked. “However,
it was painless and easy, I binge-watched Ted Lasso, and Gift of Life handled everything.”
