8 Months After Their Son's Death, A Family Hears His Heart Beating In Another Man
Talk about miracles! A family, grieving their son's death, gets a moment of comfort upon listening his heart still beating in the chest of another man. This week's Feel Good Friday story is a perfect example of why more and more people should become organ donor.
By Sadho Ram — 23 Jan 2015, 04:28 PM — Updated almost 10 years ago
This is Matt Heisler. He no longer lives. Early in 2014, Matt, who was of 21 years old and a college student, died in a house fire.
But dead Matt's heart still beats on. Inside of Tom Meeks, who had been diagnosed with a rare disease called amyloidosis in 2011.
All thanks to one small decision Matt had taken when he was 16, which ultimately turned out to be his life's most important decision: Matt had indicated on his driver's license that he would be willing to donate his organs.
But before Tom Meeks was put on a waiting list for a transplant, he was rejected 5 times by different hospitals, reported KARE-TV. Doctors had said Tom wouldn't survive without a transplant.
As he waited and held out hope, his liver was malfunctioning. Tom said doctors didn't make any promises but told him they would run the test to see if he was eligible to be placed on a waiting list. Turned out, he met five of the six requirements. And in November 2014, doctors carried out the successful transplant, giving Tom a new life.
Now imagine how it would have been for Matt's family to hear his heart beating inside Tom's chest? Yes, that's what happened.
Eight months after his transplant, Tom, a Vietnam veteran, traveled from his home in Washington state to Minnesota and let Matt's parents and sister listen to Matt's heart now beating in his chest
Matt Heisler's sister Casey gets to hear her dead brother's heart beat in the chest of Vietnam vet Tom Meeks
Image via dailymail.co.ukAfter hearing her dead brother's heart beating in the chest of Tom, an emotional Casey said:
“It's hard for me to wrap my mind around the fact that the heart I grew up with and felt in all of my hugs when I hugged him — that it is still out there somewhere,” his sister, Casey Heisler, told NBC affiliate KARE of Minneapolis.
today.com
Matt's parent, after listening to their dead son's heart beating inside of Tom, hugged and thanked Tom, with Matt's dad, Jared, saying: "that's awesome"
Matt didn't just donate his heart. His generosity helped 60 people.
Matt’s organs helped as many as 60 people. A 46-year-old woman received one of Matt's kidneys. The other went to a 56-year-old woman. The life of a 61-year-old man was saved by Matt's gift of a liver.
kare11.com