George Lopez’s Wife Gave Him Her Kidney Yet He Cheated on Her Years Later — She Still Loves Him After Divorce

• When George Lopez discovered his life-threatening condition, his then-wife Ann rushed to save him without hesitation — she gave him her kidney after learning they were a perfect match.
• However, the comedian ruined his marriage and relationship with his daughter after cheating on his wife, and they separated 17 years into their marriage.
• Ten years later, he managed to reconnect with his daughter and ex-wife, and they celebrated Christmas together again.

George Lopez married Ann Serrano in 1993. She was an actress and producer with a stellar presence in Hollywood and had worked on shows such as "Curb Your Enthusiasm" and "Arrested Development." They were both at the height of their careers when they got together.

In 1996, they welcomed their only child, Mayan, who fell in love with acting and decided to enter the entertainment industry just like her parents, appearing in movies like "Handsome: A Netflix Mystery Movie," "Kill Her! Mata La!" and several others.

In his book, "George Lopez: Latino King of Comedy," Lopez described how his wife saved his life most selflessly. On April 19, 2005, he and his wife entered Cedar-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles after the comedian's kidneys completely shut down. Fortunately, Serrano was a perfect match and donated him hers.

Lopez checked into the hospital under the alias "Tom Ace," keeping the surgery from reaching the press because they wanted to protect their then-9-year-old girl. She was unaware of her father's condition, and they didn't want her to read something about it on the news.

Moreover, they kept his illness a secret because 170 people worked on Lopez's show, and their livelihoods depended on him. He didn't want them to be scared.

Despite Lopez's pessimism, Serrano was by his side through the entire ordeal, insisting he would make it. Serrano was not afraid to go under the knife to save her then-husband because her parents were also doctors, and she was familiar with the operation.

Following the surgery, Lopez recovered at a fantastic rate. His body accepted the kidney, and he was back to playing golf only three weeks later.

Thousands of Americans are waiting for kidney transplants, but only a few get them. Half the kidneys come from personal donors and the other half from dead people. For Serrano, "It's amazing to be able to help another human being in this way. You're giving the gift of life." Meanwhile, Lopez said:

"I think it was a miracle that my wife's kidney could be used. Now I value each day because I don't know how long this organ will hold out."

However, Serrano remained humble about it and said there was "no question" regarding her organ donation. "When you are put in that position where you could possibly lose someone you love, it's a very easy decision," she explained.

When asked what he felt about his wife's actions, the comedian told reporters:

"I was crying. I thanked her, and I told her I loved her. I was more concerned about her than I was about myself."

In 2017, their daughter Mayan took to Instagram with a throwback photo of herself with her parents. She wrote, "A lot of things have changed since this photo was taken, but one hasn't: my dad is still alive and healthy." The actress continued:

"12 years ago, my mom gave my father a kidney, and I could not be more grateful for her gift and bravery. She is the most amazing woman I know, and I will never be able to thank her enough. She gave me a childhood with a healthy father, and that is just the greatest gift someone could give."

She added some facts about patients who wait years for transplants:

"My family was lucky, but most are not when waiting for a kidney. 13 people pass away every day, and every 14 minutes, someone is added to the transplant list. Do your research and become an organ donor. I love you, mama, and happy anniversary to both of you."

Their Happiness Didn't Last Long

Despite Serrano's selfless organ donation, she and Lopez couldn't make their relationship work for several reasons. They finalized their separation in 2011 after a 17-year marriage.

In as statement from Lopez's representatives, the separation was described as "amicable" and mutually agreed upon. It also said the couple "remain dedicated parents and committed partners in business and their philanthropic organization, The Lopez Foundation."

In the official divorce paperwork, they wrote "personal differences" as the reason for their split, but the headlines weren't kind to the comedian.

In July 2011, Lopez sat down for an interview with Piers Morgan on CNN. The show host asked if he deserved "the flack" he received following the separation. The comedian said he "deserved a lot of the heat" he got because people knew his wife had donated her kidney.

Morgan wondered if it was unfair that Lopez and Serrano were placed on this pedestal of "marital purity" because of the organ donation and how he was later painted as the "heartless rat." Lopez agreed with that but still took accountability for what he did.

The comedian touched briefly on the fact that his upbringing didn't give him the tools to be a good partner. Serrano had commented about that matter earlier when the organ donation was first revealed. She told journalists:

"George, he comes from a very dysfunctional family, a horrific childhood. It was hard for him to accept that someone would give him the gift of life."

Lopez also had a drinking problem and trouble with the law. Unfortunately, the separation was much harder on their daughter because it was still a public matter despite how much Lopez and Serrano tried to keep it private. Mayan was just 15 at the time. The actress stated:

"You read these headlines, and people sometimes forget that there's a family behind those headlines. It's been like 11 years since my parents have been divorced... I think the longest I didn't speak to my dad was almost three-and-a-half years because it was just painful. I think time was really the biggest healer."

In 2021, the actress started posting TikToks with her parents, and in one of them, she asked them who had ruined their marriage. In the short video, her mother laughed while pointing at Lopez. But Serrano added:

"Your dad didn't realize you have to stop dating when you get married and stop dating other people when you get married."

In another TikTok, Mayan celebrated an old video where she exposed her family drama to the world, and she got to reveal her new role on an NBC show based on that separation. It's called "Lopez vs. Lopez," which started airing on November 2022.

Mayan's TikToks and therapy helped her rekindle her relationship with her father, and the videos inspired them to create the sitcom which father and daughter promoted on "The Today Show" in 2022. The comedian told audiences his relationship with his daughter was theb one relationship needed to save, the one he "values more than anything."

The comedian also spoke to Access Hollywood, and he said "Lopez vs. Lopez" could be successful because a "lot of men give up." He said the sitcom could inspire people to take the first step, and the other person would respond in kind.

Lopez opened up about being estranged from Mayan for far too long and how important it was to reconnect with her. The father-daughter duo didn't speak to each other for seven years following Lopez split from Serrano. According to the comedian the rift was so bad that he felt out of place at Mayan's high school graduation. "They were tough on me," he told Access Hollywood.

Lopez said he deserved it, but he didn't quit. It took them three more years to build the relationship they have now. The comedian sees her daily and is even close to his ex-wife, as evidenced by Mayan's TikToks.

Meanwhile, the actress is also credited as a producer and writer of "Lopez vs. Lopez," where she gets to write about the real pain she experienced. Mayan explained:

"And for both of us being performers, I think when we got presented with this opportunity, we kind of just jumped on it because I think our story can be so many other people's stories. […] It's universal themes of family and love and the pain of reconnection."

The comedian added that he was responsible for the trauma Mayan lived, and he took full responsibility for causing it. They went to "trauma therapy," where they dealt with the harsher stuff. His suggestion was never to drive together after a session.

The Lockdown Brought Them Closer

The pandemic and lockdown were significant factors in their healing journey. They would check on each other frequently and use social media. The comedian said that his daughter was funny as a child, and at 12, she dreamed of joining Chicago's Second City improv stage. She fulfilled her dream in 2017.

Mayan said she inherited many great things from her father, but she still had to train to become what she is today. But the main lesson she learned from her father was to "try to be the best comedian" she could be.

In "Lopez vs. Lopez," Mayan has "proven herself," according to the comedian. He added that her success has nothing to do with her last name. "It's because she's done the work."

The sitcom explores their estrangement and reconnection through humor and fiction, but it's more real than most shows.

The decade after Serrano and Lopez's divorce was harsh for them. However, the COVID-19 quarantine allowed them to talk more, eat together, and joke around. Mayan's most-viewed TikToks were made in 2020.

Mayan marveled that they weren't speaking at all just a few years ago, but they get to show the world some of the toughest conversations they had on their sitcom. She added:

"But what's so wonderful is that both of us have been through a lot of pain, but the love has always brought us together."

Meanwhile, Lopez could only say that his dream collaboration is to be around his daughter for the rest of his life. When asked what his ex-wife felt about the sitcom, he said here are no boundaries because she visited the set many times.

Serrano once added authentic portraits to the set because she wanted everything to be more precise, and everyone just let her do it. Lopez was also asked how he felt about his current life, and he could only smile and say that he was "the happiest he's ever been."

Lopez said he wasn't great at romantic relationships, so his main focus is his daughter and that father-daughter connection, and Mayan's TikToks are the best evidence that Lopez has improved.

One TikTok from their first Christmas together in 10 years showed how Lopez and Serrano still acted like they were married. Serrano sings and teases George while Mayan laughs. In another TikTok, Serrano is fussing over Lopez's hair, but he hates it. One video also featured Serrano bringing Lopez a birthday cake.

In another video, they talked about their old memories and quirks, such as slamming doors all the time. Serrano recalled how Lopez took many showers a day and in retaliation, the comedian revealed she was a heavy snorer.

Despite their history, the couple still cared for each other. In fact, when Mayan asked them if they still "have love for each other," Serrano said, "Yeah. He's the father of my child." She tells him, "I love you," and calls him "honey." Lopez does the same, as if all their years of pain and estrangement never happened.

It took a lot of pain and heartache for the couple to reach this point, but it certainly made Lopez a better man. On the "Byron Scott Podcast," he explained that he grew up being a man who only cared about himself and didn't take responsibility for anything. However, "At 60, I'm a person that I never would've imagined I would be," he said.