Rod Carew/Star Tribune photo by Carlos Gonzalez
Rod Carew has always been a private person, which makes Friday's edition of "The CBS Evening News With Scott Pelley" essential viewing for Twins fans.
The three-minute segment with former KSTP reporter Steve Hartman is the Hall of Famer's first extensive TV interview since undergoing transplant surgery in December.
In addition to the update from Carew, the piece will include interviews with the family of the donor. The network is not revealing his name ahead of the broadcast, but the American Heart Assocation confirmed Friday morning that his new heart and kidney came from former Baltimore Ravens tight end Konrad Reuland who actually lived close to Carew in Orange County. In fact, their kids both attended the same middle school.
It is believed to be the first organ transplant between professional athletes. Another coincidence: When Reuland died of a ruptured brain aneurysm, he was 29, the same number Carew wore as a Twin.
Hartman said Friday morning that he found Carew to be down to earth and very open during their time together.
"He didn't hold back," said Hartman, who worked at KSTP from 1987 to 1991 and is now the lead reporter for "On the Road," the network's long-running feature series. "I can't think of anything I asked him that he didn't answer."
The two chatted about the time each had spent in Minnesota and how much they appreciated the genuine nature of the people there. Carew said he would probably have spent his retirement years in the state, if his wife hadn't insisted that they live in southern California, a tidbit that didn't make the final cut.
"The CBS Evening News" airs locally at 5:30 p.m. on WCCO, Ch. 4.
