“In March 2005 my dad, Tom, had just celebrated his 41st birthday, completely unaware that his life was about to change forever. Not long after, doctors discovered that he had cardiomyopathy and was experiencing episodes of ventricular tachycardia (VTach). With that diagnosis came a whirlwind of emotions and tough decisions. My dad soon had an ICD implanted to help keep his heart in rhythm, a device that would quietly protect him every single day. The idea of a heart transplant was mentioned, but thankfully, his medication regimen worked well enough to keep things stable. For the time being, it seemed like life could move forward. But in the spring of 2025, our world was turned upside down again.
Despite the medications continuing to help manage the situation, my dad’s numbers began to show serious signs of heart failure. And now, his heart wasn’t the only concern anymore as his lungs were being affected too, with dangerously high pulmonary pressures. That’s when his doctors decided it was time to begin the evaluation process to be placed on the transplant list. Initially, my dad was being evaluated for just a heart transplant, but over the next couple of months, the option for a heart-lung block was brought to the table for consideration. What followed was a blur of doctor’s appointments, hospital stays, and endless prayers. We held on to hope that the need for a transplant was still years away.
But life had other plans. In September 2025, my dad was admitted to Thomas Jefferson University Hospital in downtown Philadelphia. It became clear that medication could only do so much, his heart and lungs needed more help than they could give. In October, we received the news that changed everything again: my dad was officially approved and added to the transplant list for a heart-lung. It was a moment of relief, gratitude, and hope all at once. While this is a huge step forward, we knew his journey was far from over. This would also for Jefferson Health’s first heart-lung transplant surgery. We are lucky that the lead surgeon on my dad’s team, Charles Hoopes, had performed this surgery in the past and was the one to advocate this procedure.
Again, my dad was faced with uncertainty over the next few months waiting for the right offer. An Impella was implanted to help with his pressures and keep his heart pumping but again, it could only do so much. Good days were followed by bad days; some so bad we didn’t know if it was going to turn into the worst day of our lives. You truly feel so helpless watching a loved one suffer and knowing all you can do is show up each day to be present with them.
But in December, my dad’s life changed. He was told they had a strong offer and if all the tests went well throughout the night, he would officially be getting a new heart and lungs. With luck on my dad’s side, he received the news we had all been waiting for the last few months. Just before Christmas, my dad went into a 10-hour-long surgery and was given the gift of life.
The road post-recovery hasn’t been a walk in the park for my dad. Following a few setbacks, he was admitted back to the hospital for another month after spending 10 days in inpatient rehab. This was tough as he was so close to coming home, but we know this road wasn’t going to be easy for him. But after almost 5 months, my dad was finally discharged to come home.
While we all know the journey doesn’t end here, it was such a blessing to see him cross the threshold of his own home. He is still working to build his strength back up after being in the hospital for so long, but it’s amazing to see my dad coming back to himself again. I’ll never take for granted hearing him laugh, yell at a Flyers/Phillies/Eagles game, or simply being able to give him a hug. It was an emotional day seeing my dad read at my cousin’s wedding, knowing it was a goal for him to attend and be present with family.
He’s continuing to work on building up his strength and health as he’s getting a new title soon, the title of Poppy. He’ll get to experience life as a first-time grandparent, and it’s special to think this will be shortly after he celebrates one-year post transplant.
Without this life-saving transplant, I don’t know if my dad would be here today. Now, he’ll get to continue living life and being around to experience all the wonderful events to come. For that, my entire family is forever grateful and thankful to his donor and their family. There aren’t enough words to express how much this truly means to all of us, and you are now forever a part of my dad’s story. Organ donation truly saves lives. If you haven’t registered to become an organ donor, I highly recommend you consider.”
– Shannon