From the moment Courtney Moss was born, it was clear that she was a fighter. “For the first three years, we faced constant battles,” recalled her mother, Debi Batchelor. “She underwent multiple surgeries for hydrocephalus, low muscle tone, failure to thrive, years of feeding tubes, and bilateral hearing loss. The doctors even coined it ‘The Courtney Syndrome.'”
At just nine months old, Courtney underwent open heart surgery for Atrioventricular (AV) repair. By the time she was a year and a half old, she went into heart failure. Thanks to a combination of medications, numerous hospital stays, and the power of prayer, she avoided needing additional surgery. Throughout these ordeals, Courtney’s resilience and determination were nothing short of remarkable, continuously inspiring those around her.
“She doesn’t let anything slow her down,” said Debi. “She’s tough. Everything Courtney does, she gives 150% or more.”
Courtney, now 27, admits she had to “do things a bit differently” growing up, but still manages to find the silver lining. “I was able to get out of gym class, I didn’t have to run laps, and I was the teacher’s assistant on field days,” she recalled, laughing. “So, there were some perks!”
In 2013, Courtney once again went into heart failure following a mitral valve repair. Courtney was fitted with a Left Ventricular Assist Device (LVAD), a surgically implanted mechanical heart pump used for patients who have reached end-stage heart failure. Still in high school, she lived with the device for 11 months before receiving a new heart.
“I just remember crying,” said Debi. “I couldn’t believe that this was happening to her. She had beaten the odds so many times, and I was so discouraged that she was having to go through so much again. But we were willing to do whatever we had to do to get her home. I always say we got her home and had to plug her up to the wall.”
During this time, Courtney’s support system rallied around her—Nash County EMS learned what to do if her LVAD alarm went off in class, her high school gave her a handicapped spot right at the front door, and teachers came to her home to keep her caught up with schoolwork. Once she was stable enough, Courtney was placed on the transplant list.
“My parents decided they were too nervous to tell me I needed a new heart, so I actually found out while scrolling Facebook,” said Courtney, chuckling at the memory. “The first thing that popped up on my newsfeed was their post asking for prayers. I was still trying to learn about the LVAD, this thing that was attached to me, only to realize that it wasn’t the fix-all after all.”
One evening in mid-August, weeks before her 18th birthday, Courtney received the call that would change her life forever.
“I was actually preparing for a yard sale the next day, so I had a ton of stuff out,” recalled Debi. “I had cooked dinner, but we hadn’t eaten yet. Her dad, who worked the third shift, was asleep and her brother was at band practice. We got the call at 7:33 p.m. I answered, with Courtney there beside me, and the doctor said, ‘Hello! Are y’all ready?’ She told us they found a heart. I looked at Courtney and said, ‘are you ready?’ Her eyes got big as quarters and she started screaming, crying, and laughing. Then we went storming into the bedroom where her dad was sleeping soundly and about gave him a heart attack. We were told to slow down a minute, catch our breath, and finish eating dinner. We were there by 10:45 p.m.”
On August 15, 2014, Courtney received her second chance at life. Remarkably, she was up and walking the very next day, determined to be discharged on or before her birthday. Defying the odds once more, Courtney left the hospital the day she turned 18, proudly signing her own discharge papers.
Despite the myriad of challenges she faced over the years, Courtney attended public school and graduated on time with both a high school diploma and a 2-year associate degree. She then attended North Carolina Wesleyan University, earning a bachelor’s degree in psychology and sociology. Today, she works as the box office manager at The Dunn Center at the university and is working towards her Child Life certification from the Association of Child Life Professionals.
“Growing up as a pediatric patient and having Child Life as part of my medical team really made me want to pursue that as a career,” said Courtney. “I want to be on the other side of things, helping children the same way they helped me.”
Sheila Martin, executive director of The Dunn Center, first met Courtney at a charity event, four months before her lifesaving transplant. Today, she counts Courtney as a dear friend and a top-notch employee.
“She came to Wesleyan to get her bachelor’s degree, and while she was a student here, we put her to work as a student worker in the Box Office at The Dunn Center,” said Sheila. “She has been here ever since. She is loved by all, has an incredible work ethic, and is well known for her skills and flair for marketing on social media. I can honestly say that there is not a day that goes by that I don’t learn something from Courtney. I call her our rock star, and I value her input, advice, knowledge, and wisdom, more than words could ever express. She might be small in stature because of her medical history, but she is big in spirit and has a transplanted heart made of pure gold. She is a role model for so many and an inspiration to all who know and love her.”
Since receiving her new heart, Courtney carries the memory of her donor and their family with her every day. “I light a candle every year on Aug. 14, the day my donor passed,” said Courtney. “I hate that someone had to die for me to live. It does weigh on me, but I push through it. Everyone must die at some point, and you don’t need your organs in heaven. On Earth, they serve a purpose and provide life and a future for people like me. I am almost 28, I am a homeowner, I am a college graduate, a caregiver for my grandmother, and a dog mom. Life goes on. Because of this heart, I can keep up with it.”
This year, Courtney will celebrate her 10-year “heartiversary” at her church, a perfect time to express her gratitude and educate others about organ donation. “We are having a party to show our appreciation,” Courtney said. “Everyone invited has played a part in where I am today. Whether they prayed, donated, brought food, or took care of my brother when we were young. There are more people waiting than donors, so we want to spread awareness, spread joy, and show how well I’m doing.”
Though she has written several letters to her donor’s family, she still awaits a response, longing to know more about the selfless soul whose heart now beats within her.
“We are extremely sorry for the donor family’s loss,” Debi said. “But their loved one’s heart is inside of Courtney, and everything she has accomplished since then is a miracle. We just want to thank them for sharing that gift with us.”
75 lives could be saved and healed from one organ, eye, and tissue donor. Together, we can save lives. Register your decision today at honorbridge.org/registerme
