My name is David Smith.

I have been kept alive for six years through LVAD therapy.

LVAD is short for "Left Ventricular Assist Device." Only about 250k people in the U.S. are able to be kept alive with this therapy.

Most LVAD patients die within four years after receiving the surgical implantation of the device.

To learn more, Google LVAD or LVAD IMAGES to gain a clear understanding of this therapy.

This has been a challenging way to remain alive, but I am indeed grateful.

The next step is set to take place sometime in 2026. We are looking at a heart transplant. Heart transplant, if successful, will truly give me a new lease on life.

My cardiologist told me that I am an ideal candidate as I have no other health issues aside from my weak heart, caused by Congestive Heart Failure, a disease I was diagnosed with at just 38 years old in 2005. It's been a long journey and a difficult battle. Mine is truly a story of a medical miracle.

In my medical records, it is recorded that I actually survived nearly ten minutes with no pulse, no heartbeat, and no substantial blood flow to the brain. This was something that my cardiologist at that time conceded to as I was on life support. He was ready to pull the plug and let me go.

It was my daughter who fought the doctor to keep me alive long enough to have a neurologist test me for brain activity. I will always consider her, among others, to be my heroes that saved my life on September 19th, 2018.

In July of 2019, my new cardiologist informed me after yet another life-threatening cardiovascular event that I had two choices. He could implant the LVAD, or he could send me home on hospice. Clearly not a hard decision, but through the following battles, I sometimes wondered if I had made the right choice.

For some reason, God has seen me through many battles since 2019. I was hospitalized 7 times in 2024 and once thus far in 2025 for cardiovascular events.

Honestly, I'm tired, weary from the battle to survive. A battle that I endure every night and every day.

Heart transplant will return me to complete health and could give me another 20-30 years to live a complete life to the age of 80+/-.

My ability to work has been severely diminished, and though I am medically qualified for SSDI, due to certain policies within the SSA, I cannot receive any SSDI whatsoever.

I am on food stamps and state-assisted Medicaid, which will not pay for the transplant until April of 2026.

In the meantime, I do what I am able to try to support myself, which would be impossible today without the much-appreciated help of a small handful of friends. Asking for help is not something that comes easy for a lot of people, and I am no different. But I have swallowed my foolish pride because I simply have no choice. I am and will always be grateful from the bottom of my heart for those who have enough love in their hearts to financially assist me as I strive to get to that transplant.

It has taken a lot more for me to ask publicly online to friends and strangers for help, but my small handful of true friends cannot continue to be expected to continue as much as they have.

I am a longtime songwriter and now publish my work on TikTok in an effort to sell some of my music. You can listen to my music on TikTok @brotherdoxsongs and any help in finding musicians who are searching for new original material is of course greatly appreciated.

The funds I am seeking to raise can help greatly in my ability to continue to survive long enough to get to transplant. Any help is so appreciated words cannot describe.

One of the best ways to help is to share this GoFundMe with your friends on social media. The very best help is to simply add me to your prayer list, that God will give me the strength to continue this fight for one more year.

Thank you in advance for anything you can do to help this Christian man continue to fight.