A second chance at life

For years, Wendell was a familiar face at TriStar Summit Medical Center, working Plant Operations department and helping keep the hospital running smoothly behind the scenes. What many didn’t know was that while he cared for the facility, Wendell was quietly fighting for his own life — his heart was failing.

He eventually required an LVAD, a device that sustained his life but limited many of the things he loved, including swimming.

In time, Wendell was placed on the heart transplant list, waiting and hoping for the call that could give him his life back.

That moment finally came… and then slipped away.

When a heart became available, Wendell rushed to the hospital, only to learn he had COVID-19. He had to relinquish the heart meant for him — a devastating setback after such a long and difficult journey.

Just two weeks later, the phone rang again.

Another heart was available. This time, he had just 30 minutes to get to the hospital. He made it — and received the lifesaving transplant he had been praying for.

Since then, Wendell has embraced every milestone with gratitude. His greatest goal was simple: to swim again — something impossible with an LVAD. Last summer, surrounded by friends at Cocoa Beach, he stepped into the ocean for the first time in years — a moment of pure joy he will never forget.

Now, past the one-year mark recommended before reaching out, Wendell shares a message from the deepest part of his gratitude:

He hopes one day to personally thank the donor family.

“I want them to know this heart is beating strong — and it saved my life.”

Wendell’s story is a powerful reminder of the life-changing impact of organ donation. One family’s extraordinary generosity gave him back the simple joys of living — and the promise of many more memories to come.