Bone marrow donor, DB Ayden Garnes gets 'a fresh start' with Arizona football

Ayden Garnes’ college football-playing journey is similar to others ... on the field.

The cornerback and Philadelphia native started his career at Duquesne, an FCS program in Pittsburgh. Unlike beloved UA point guard T.J. McConnell, there was a stop in between Duquesne and Arizona; he played one season at West Virginia.

Off the field? There aren’t many college football players who can say they literally saved a life; Garnes can.

Duquesne football hosts an annual bone marrow drive for “Be The Match,” which is operated by National Marrow Donor Program (NMDP). Last year, the bone marrow drive at Duquesne registered over 300 new people to the National Bone Marrow Registry.

Bone marrow, which is withdrawn from the pelvic bone, restores normal blood cell production by replacing damaged bone marrow with stem cells from the donor. Bone marrow transplants are often used for people with leukemia, lymphoma, sickle cell anemia or other blood disorders.

In 2022, Garnes went to the “Be The Match” drive and had the inside of his cheek swabbed to collect a tissue sample. Sometimes, it could take months or years to find a match. During the 2022 season, “I found out that I was a match for a woman I didn’t know,” he said. Garnes was the only member of the Duquesne football program to find a match that year.

“At first, I was pretty scared, because I didn’t know what all went into it,” Garnes said. “The bone marrow transplant everyone knows is a big needle that goes into your hip. I thought that’s what they did, so I was pretty scared. They ended up talking to me about it. Once they talked to me about it and said that wasn’t it, I was the most excited you can be, because that’s saving a life.

“She also had a kid. She’s from outside of this country and I still haven’t had a chance to meet her because there’s just so much going on. I would like to meet her sometime in the next few years. That’s one of the biggest blessings I put on this Earth.”

Accompanied by his mother, Jerelle Holden, and then-Duquesne defensive coordinator Michael Craig, Garnes made the sacrifice and underwent the bone marrow transplant procedure nearly two years ago in Boston.

“By the time I woke up, it was already done and she was already recovering,” Garnes said. “They told me that when I woke up. That’s just a blessing, just hearing something you did for four or five hours is going to save somebody’s life forever.”

Garnes doesn’t know the name of the woman he donated bone marrow to because “they couldn’t disclose that to me,” but he hopes to meet her in the future.

In his lone season at West Virginia in 2024, Garnes had 25 tackles and a pass deflection and missed the second half of the season with a head injury.

Now playing for his third team in five seasons, the 6-foot, 175-pound Garnes adds depth to Arizona’s defensive secondary, which returns nickel back Treydan Stukes, strong safety Dalton Johnson, safety and nickel back Genesis Smith, cornerback Marquis Groves-Killebrew and safety Jack Luttrell, among others, albeit the Wildcats lost starters in cornerback Tacario Davis (Washington) and safety Gunner Maldonado (Kansas State), among others.

Garnes is one of seven newcomer scholarship cornerbacks for the Wildcats in 2025. Garnes, Michael Dansby (San Jose State) and Jay’Vion Cole (Texas) are the additions at cornerback for Arizona in the transfer portal.

Garnes joined “Spears & Ali” on ESPN Tucson to talk about his path to Tucson and why he chose the UA for his final season as a college player.

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Why did you transfer to Arizona?

A: “Backstory, my head coach, Neal Brown, got fired and a lot of things happened quickly. Our bowl game was on (Dec. 17) and I didn’t get in until (Dec. 20), so we hit the dead period pretty fast and I wasn’t able to visit from the 20th until New Year’s Day. Arizona was my first visit. ... I came here on the visit and it was great. I compared some things to the places I was at, like West Virginia.

“I listed the pros and cons and everything was good coming off the visit. I was going to go to Houston (for an official visit), but we ended up having a big snowstorm in Philadelphia. Personally, I’m the type of person that doesn’t like to wait too long. If it’s a fit, it’s a fit. If you feel like it’s the best opportunity to go, then it’s the best opportunity. (Arizona) was the best opportunity on and off the field.”

Would you say that snowstorm was a sign to go to Arizona?

A: “I was in the airport and they canceled my flight and they said I couldn’t get another flight. That was on a Monday and I couldn’t get another flight until Thursday. I didn’t want to wait that long.”

What are your impressions of Arizona head coach Brent Brennan and the UA coaches you’ll be playing under?

A: “Coach Brennan is wonderful. When I first met him, he had a smile on his face. He always has a smile on his face. I like what he’s building coaching staff-wise and team-wise. (Defensive coordinator Danny Gonzales), on the day of my visit, we talked to each other for over an hour, just talking ball and I loved what he was saying. I don’t know what scheme he has put in yet, but I know we’re running some of the same things from last year.

“I’m grateful and excited to hear about what he’s got planned. Everyone knows about (defensive backs coach Duane Akina) and his background. Everyone knows his background and how many DBs he sent to the (NFL) and the DBs he’s produced. (Cornerbacks coach Chip Viney) is going to tell you the truth and tell you what’s going on. He was very upfront with things on the visit. All of that put together just made me want to come here even more.”

How was your childhood growing up in Philadelphia?

A: “I was born and raised in Philadelphia. I’ve been playing football since I was about 5 years old. My grandpa showed me the game when I was about 4. He ended up dying when I was about 8. My whole football career is for him. Everything I do is for him. Everything I aspire to do is for him. He’s not able to see me and that crushes my heart because he’s not able to see the product he brought up in this world.”

How much did you grow as a defensive back at WVU?

A: “I developed a lot. I put on weight and added speed I didn’t know I had. They unlocked certain things that I didn’t know I had and they pushed me to it. That’s why I appreciate those guys because they helped me get to where I am today. ... Being at Arizona is going to be a fresh start for me. I wasn’t able to finish a whole season. Here, I pray to God I’m able to finish a whole season and show people what I can really do — what I came to the Big 12 to do.”

What position do you envision playing in Arizona’s defensive secondary?

A: “I’m just a defensive back. I can play corner and nickel at a high level. Whatever this team needs me to do in whatever situation, I’m going to be able to do.”