If you know anything about Garth Brooks, you know he's a "giver" by nature and you know about his deep respect for cowboy country singer and good friend Chris LeDoux.

So when Chris became critically ill last year and was in desperate need of a new liver, Garth stepped up to the plate -- and offered part of his own.

"I was blown away," Chris told USA Today.

"I wouldn't do that for a friend. I'd pray for them, but, holy cow, for him to offer a piece of himself like that...I'm amazed."

Unfortunately, after running some tests, doctors determined that Garth's liver was too small for him to safely donate part of it to his friend.

In an extraordinary turn of events, a suitable liver became available just a few days later.

Garth wanted the whole matter kept a secret, but Chris believed it was important for the world "to know what kind of guy Garth really is."