Brandon Kerrigan was just 15 years old when his life changed forever.
“I went into the hospital on my birthday,” recalled Brandon. “I had been out fishing with my godfather and felt ill and came inside. My parents brought me to the emergency room, and I went downhill really fast; they believe a virus attacked my heart. I coded twice on the helicopter on my way to the University of Maryland Medical Center, and then I was in an induced coma for two weeks.”
When he woke up in September, Brandon was faced with shocking news—he needed a heart transplant. After five months in the hospital and two weeks on a Left Ventricular Assist Device (LVAD), the call finally came at 2 a.m. on December 17, 2013.
For Brandon, the transplant wasn’t just a procedure, it was the opportunity to feel better after months of suffering. “I was more excited than I was nervous,” he recalls. “I felt like this was the only thing that was going to make me feel better.”
Following his transplant, Brandon’s focus shifted to honoring the gift he had received.
“Someone had to pass in order for me to live, and I try to take that weight with a sense of gratefulness,” said Brandon. “After my transplant, I tried prove myself worthy of the gift.”
Although his parents connected with his donor’s family after a year, Brandon felt he had things to accomplish before taking that step. When the time finally came, seven years later, his donor’s grandfather passed away just one day after meeting Brandon.
“My donor’s name was Dustin, and he was 12 years old,” said Brandon. “He lived in Georgia. When I met his family, they showed me a lot of Justin’s old memorabilia and listened to my heart. His aunts and uncles were there as well. Less than a day after my visit, Dustin’s grandfather passed away. I was like, oh wow, he was just hanging in there for seven years to meet me.”
Since his transplant, Brandon has embraced every opportunity life has given him. At 19, he biked across the country, raising $35,000 for the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) to support organ donation awareness. He has competed in the World Transplant Games twice, winning six gold medals in swimming in Australia, and will compete again this summer in Germany.
“I’m very adventurous. I travel all around the world trying to take advantage of the time that I was given,” said Brandon. “I’m getting married in September. We have two dogs, live a very quiet life, and enjoy spending time on our boat. We play a lot of golf. I’ve tried to give back as best as I can to the community—and I hope I’ve made Dustin proud.”
Today, Brandon remains in good health and continues to advocate for organ donation.
“I just want to make sure people understand the impact it can have,” said Brandon. “I’m always trying to find ways to get the word out and encourage people.”
For those waiting for a transplant, Brandon offers a simple but powerful message: “There is a light at the end of the tunnel. If you’re really sick like I was, within hours of having your transplant, you will feel so much better. Just don’t give up and always keep a positive attitude.”
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