Author: Tim Cook Offered Steve Jobs His Liver

Apple chief executive Tim Cook offered his liver to the late Steve Jobs as he was dying, a new book claims.

Mr Cook was reportedly so upset after one visit to the ailing Apple co-founder's home that he offered to transfer a portion of his liver to Mr Jobs.

He had battled pancreatic cancer since 2004 and by 2009 needed a liver transplant.

Because the liver is a regenerative organ, there was a possibility that Mr Cook's idea could have worked. Mr Cook also found that they shared the same blood type.

But it was not to be - Mr Jobs refused outright to even consider the proposal.

"He cut me off at the legs," said Mr Cook, "almost before the words were out of my mouth. ''No', he said, 'I'll never let you do that. I'll never do that.'"

The comments were reported in a new book chronicling Mr Jobs' life, called Becoming Steve Jobs by Rick Tetzeli.

Mr Cook continued: "Somebody that's selfish doesn't reply like that.

"I mean, here's a guy, he's dying, he's very close to death because of his liver issue, and here's someone healthy offering a way out.

"I said 'Steve, I'm perfectly healthy, I've been checked out. Here's the medical report. I can do this and I’m not putting myself at risk, I'll be fine.'

"And he doesn't think about it. It was not 'are you sure you want to do this?'

"It was 'no, I’m not doing that!' He kind of popped up in bed and said that. And this was during a time when things were just terrible.

"Steve only yelled at me four or five times during the 13 years I knew him, and this was one of them."

Mr Jobs - who was opposed to surgery - went on to have a liver transplant in March 2009.

He resigned as Apple chief executive in August 2011 and died in October at the age of 56.