Troy, A Heart Transplant Recipient

Troy, a Montana native, was diagnosed with familial heart disease at just 35. He waited more than two and a half years with a heart pump to keep him alive. During this time, he had suffered two strokes and partial numbness on his left side. But he refused to give up hope. He finally received the call – a donor heart was available for him. Later, his transplant surgeon later told him, “It came just in time, we didn’t know how much time you had left.” Following transplant, he discovered a new passion for photography and renewed his passion for hiking and being outdoors. “None of this would have been possible without the gift of one person.”

Because someone registered their wishes to be an organ donor – Troy was given a second chance at life.