My story began on a normal day when I was working in my landscaping business. I had arrived at my client’s home to spread forty bales of pine needles. Shortly after that, I was struggling to breathe and grabbing my chest. I took a short break to see if that would help, but the feeling just grew worse. I decided to go home to rest up, and I would finish up the job the next day.
Just two days before I had that episode of shortness of breath, I’d had a complete physical and my doctor had given me a clean bill of health, saying, “Keep doing what you’re doing and I’ll see you next year.” The next day, I was still feeling weak so I called and spoke with the nurse, who scheduled me for an appointment. Thirty minutes later I was being rushed to the hospital in an ambulance.
Five months later, on June 17, I received the call that forever changed my life. I was told, “Mr. Transou, congratulations. We have a heart for you.” Two days later I received my new heart. I will be forever grateful and moved to tears that I was given a second chance.
On April 6th, 2019 I ran a half marathon 13.1 miles. Plan to run a full 26.2 miles in October of 2019.”
Sherman’s Message to his heart donor’s family:
Gratitude. Please let me tell you that my thoughts and prayers are with your family. Your kindness and generosity, in what was surely a most difficult time, are beyond words. My name is Sherman, and I feel so honored and blessed to receive this gift; it is my wish, hope, and prayer that I can adequately convey to your family how much I will cherish this gift and treat every heartbeat with the respect it deserves.
I am rarely at a loss for words, but I must have started this letter, in my mind, more times than I can possibly count. Each time I started to write it, I struggled to find the words to fully express the depths of my gratitude. I consider myself to be a generous person, but after going through this, I realize my generosity cannot compare or measure up to the gift I have received from your loved one and your family.
