For Bernie Kosar, this Thanksgiving is about more than just gratitude; it’s about honoring the 21-year-old fan whose final gift gave the Browns legend a second chance at life. In return, Kosar decided to honor this gesture with a gift of his own.

“What a beautiful experience on this Thanksgiving Day to be able to gift the Dunlap family $25,000.This family changed my life forever when they blessed me with the incredible gift of Bryce’s liver,” Kosar wrote on X. “Their generosity gave me a second chance, and I will never stop honoring Bryce’s legacy. Today was more than a gift; it was a full-circle moment of gratitude, healing, and love. To the Dunlap family, I am forever connected to you.”

In a gesture of immense gratitude, Kosar donated US$25,000 to the Dunlap family. This act underlines how deeply he values the life-saving deed of Bryce Dunlap, making this a Thanksgiving where Kosar is profoundly thankful for the gift of life. 

Bernie Kosar received the liver of 21-year-old Browns fan Bryce Dunlap, whose family made the emotional decision to direct the donation following his unexpected medical emergency. One week after the life-saving transplant, Kosar was discharged from University Hospitals on November 24, stepping out as what doctors called a “walking miracle.” For Kosar, the Thanksgiving Day gesture was a powerful tribute to Bryce.

“I want to give the first 25 thousand. I know money doesn’t solve everything, but these tough times do make it a little easier on some things,” Kosar told the Dunlap family.  

According to the family, Bryce was watching a Browns game when he suddenly struggled to breathe, a medical emergency that soon turned fatal due to an anoxic brain injury. Honoring his organ-donor wishes, Bryce’s parents requested a directed donation, and LifeBanc later confirmed that his liver was a match for former Browns quarterback Bernie Kosar.

Bernie Kosar’s health scare and recovery journey

Kosar had already gone public about battling advanced liver disease and Parkinson’s symptoms in 2024. His transplant was first postponed when an earlier donor liver was ruled unfit, but everything changed once Dunlap’s family approved the directed donation, giving Kosar the match he needed.

“We just got the good call!” Kosar shared before the transplant.

On November 17, 2025, surgeons at University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center replaced his diseased liver with one donated by 21-year-old Browns fan Bryce Dunlap.

Now discharged from the hospital, Kosar begins his recovery after his 62nd birthday. The transplant underscores a full-circle moment, casting a spotlight on the critical importance of organ donation, a legacy Dunlap shares with Kosar’s second chance.

A GoFundMe campaign was also launched to help cover Kosar’s mounting medical and transplant-related expenses, including treatment, recovery care, and long-term hospitalization needs. The fundraiser, supported by those close to him, has become a key lifeline as he continues his fight. Fans have rallied behind the cause, answering the call for support during the most challenging stretch of his health battle.