Meet Donald!

Don, a 43-year-old father of three and U.S. Marine Corps veteran, never imagined he would one day need a lifesaving liver transplant. In 2021, he began struggling with stomach issues and was initially misdiagnosed with ulcers. Even after gallbladder surgery, his health continued to decline. On Thanksgiving Day, he was discharged from one hospital without answers—only to be told just hours later at another hospital that he was in liver failure and needed to get to a transplant center immediately.

He was transferred to Westchester Medical Center, where doctors confirmed the severity of his condition. After a series of medical, moral, and mental screenings, Don was placed at the very top of the transplant list—his doctor even told him he was the sickest patient in the hospital. Just 21 days later, he received the call that a donor liver was available.

His 12-hour transplant surgery was successful, but the first year was extremely difficult. Don faced complications, frequent hospital readmissions, and the long road to recovery. In his second year, he began to improve, though he experienced an episode of rejection that required additional medication. Today, 3 ½ years later, Don is thriving. He walks daily to stay active—sometimes up to 8 miles—and is grateful to have regained his health.

While recovery has been a blessing, the financial strain of ongoing medical care and travel for checkups has been challenging. Harboring Hearts has helped ease that burden, providing hotel accommodations and gas cards for his frequent trips to the hospital.

“Harboring Hearts took away one of my biggest worries,” Don shared. “What they do really matters. To everyone who supports them—know that you are helping people in their most desperate time of need, and that is truly heroic.”