The first words out of Roger Steele’s mouth were, "He's over 100 years old. How could this even be?"
Roger recalled he and his siblings being approached by Live On Nebraska, an organ procurement organization, while his 100-year-old father, Dale Steele, was being treated at the University of Nebraska Medical Center. The organization asked Dale’s surviving children if they would consent to the procurement of their father’s liver.
Roger was initially skeptical but learned that donor eligibility is based on health and organ viability rather than age. Kyle Herber, president and CEO of Live On Nebraska, said the misconception is common.
"One of the myths we hear out in the community often, is that 'I'm too old to be an organ donor. I might not be healthy enough to be a donor.' And I think a case like this truly proves that there is no age limit," Herber said.
Herber said more than 100,000 patients in the U.S. are waiting for a lifesaving organ transplant, including roughly 350-400 in Nebraska. Herber said approximately 17 people die per day waiting for an organ transplant.
"On average, many of those patients are going to wait several years before they get the opportunity to get an organ transplant," Herber said. "Unfortunately, in our country, there's just not enough organs to go around."
Who is Dale Steele?
Dale Steele was born on Veterans Day in 1925 in Ainsworth and was raised on a ranch during the Great Depression. His son remembers his father defined by quiet selflessness and an unwavering work ethic.
"He was considerate. He was helpful. He would view the world — if he could help people, he would. But he wasn't showy about it," Roger said.
Roger said his father's belief in hard work never left him, citing it as the reason his health allowed him to donate after a century of life.
"He had a strong body that was able to carry him through his 100th birthday. I think that came from hard work," Roger said. "People from his generation didn't have a notion of exercise. When they went to bed at night, they were tired from having worked hard all day. That was their exercise."
His work ethic and self-sufficiency extended to his hobbies. He became a landscape painter, often including scenes of deer or waterfowl, and enjoyed woodcarving. To both his children and grandchildren he was known as "Duffy" — a nickname that has no recallable origin but followed him from his childhood.
He was drafted after high school and served across Europe during World War II, eventually serving as a guard during the Nuremberg Trials. Dale then returned home and met his wife, Doris Brown, in Bassett, where the couple started a family together, building a life rooted in agriculture. They were married for 72 years. Doris passed away in 2020.
"He was deeply saddened when our mother passed away, but he just kept going forward," Roger said. "That was just kind of his way."
His final act
When Live On Nebraska approached the Steele family, Roger said the decision was immediate.
"The Duffy kids, we consented without any hesitation. We thought, this is the kind of thing — if he were able to be asked, he'd agree to," Roger said. "I just know his response would be, well, if I can help somebody else, fine."
The family then waited. Two hours after Dale passed on Feb. 11, Roger received a call from Live On Nebraska informing him that the liver had been accepted. A second call confirmed that the transplant was successful. Roger said the recipient was discharged from the hospital after five days.
"It's funny, we just lost our father and our grandfather. We were sad about that. But when we received that call that his liver had been accepted for a transplant, we were then — I would say — happy at the thought that had worked out so well," Roger said.
Herber said Dale's story reflects something larger than one donation, and he was overwhelmed after learning about Dale's background.
"Literally just talking about that gives me chills," Herber said. "And that's really as American as it gets, but really is representative of a real Nebraskan and what Nebraska has to do in terms of hard work, and then ultimately helping others not only in their life, but then at the end of your life through organ donation."
Herber said he hopes Dale's story will help combat misconceptions centered around age and the viability of a person's organs at the time of death.
For Roger, the hope is simple — that his father's story moves others to consider registering.
"The great joy I feel in knowing that somebody else was able to benefit from my father's life — even though they're gone, they were able to help somebody else have a lifesaving gift. That's what I'd like people to take from it," Roger said.
Nebraskans can register as organ donors at liveonnebraska.org or when obtaining or renewing a driver's license.