When Tracy Morgan needed a kidney to undergo life-saving surgery in December, he turned to his ex-girlfriend for help, but according to the star's brother and mother, he kept his operation a secret from his family.

In an exclusive interview with Breaking Celebrity News, James Morgan has spoken out about his sibling's controversial procedure, and the shocking way he found out about the news.

"I've been with him at his home, and he didn't let me know anything," he said, when asked if Tracy ever spoke to him about his need for a new kidney.

"It was his choice, but he could have got me checked to see if I was compatible. If he would have asked, of course I would have done it. He's my brother.

"Maybe he didn't want to put me through the pain. I don't know what his thinking was," added James, who like his brother also suffers from diabetes.

James said that he was alerted to the surgery after the fact -- and in a rather unconventional way.

"I just found out on the Internet last month that he had the operation. I really didn't believe it. I thought it was just a stunt or something. I thought maybe that's a misprint.

"But he called my mother and confirmed it."

Tracy's mom, Alicia Warden told Breaking Celebrity News that she was "shocked" to learn of her son's procedure. "He didn't tell me about anything," she said in an exclusive interview. "We never discussed it. He didn't bring it up to me. Someone came and told me they saw it on the Internet, so I was just as shocked."

When asked if she understood his reasons for not alerting the family about it, she said: "I don't know what the reasons are. I really don't know."