Help John Heal: Heart and Kidney Transplants

On my Instagram page, I have a saying..."Everyone has a story. The beginning and end are a given. What happens in between is what really needs to be shared."

Well, this is the "Between" that I am sharing about a man that, although I have only known a short window of time, has amazed me since the day I met him.

Sometimes, you meet people and instantly feel a sense of genuineness. That is what I felt when I had the blessing of meeting John. 

John is Carly's (our son Connors girlfriend) for all intensive purposes, Step - Dad. When Steven and I first met John, I had absolutely no idea the major health challenges he was going through.

Every time we saw him, his outlook was positive and pleasant. I remember sitting with Carly chatting when she shared that John was on the wait list for a kidney. I looked at her and said, "What, what are you talking about?" She said, "Yes, he is in dire need of a kidney." I had no idea the pain he was dealing with. 

In 2015, at the age of only 36, John was diagnosed with polycystic kidney and Congestive Heart Failure. So, for the past almost 10 years he has been working 2 jobs, a full-time small engine mechanic and a part time job fixing boats, with  kidneys not functioning at anywhere near capacity and a heart struggling beyond belief. 

John is not new to this, unfortunately, as it is a genetic disorder that his sister, aunt, cousin, and mother all suffered with.

After an appointment with his cardiologist, John learned his heart was at a 15% capacity... FIFTEEN PERCENT! Who would know, considering he was just trimming the hedges the day before.

Needless to say, John was admitted to the hospital and quickly learned he was being placed on the heart AND kidney transplant list and would not be able to leave the hospital until a donor was found.

That was July 15th. July 18th, an Impella heart pump was installed. Now, it was a matter of waiting. That is such a difficult thing to do. You desperately want your loved one saved, but that also means that another family will be saying goodbye to theirs. Praying for that situation is hard to do. 

On July 31st, that call came in. One 

family was filled with joy, another with heartache. John was filled with a mixture of emotions but no time to process those. Within less than 24 hours on August 1st, John had his heart transplant and the very next day his kidney transplant. 

To say he is a miracle walking is an understatement. His attitude of gratefulness and positivity is utterly astonishing. He is putting his best foot forward every morning, knowing how fortunate he has been to have a brand new lease on life.

All of that being said, he still has a very long road ahead of him and will be in physical therapy for months, most likely out of work for close to a year. 

That is why I have started this gofundme for John and Kim. Asking for help is never easy for anyone, and although hesitant in saying yes to this, I encouraged them to allow me to do this.

If you are unable to give financially, please simply share with your family and friends. More importantly, please continue to pray. John will need lots and lots of those.

Thank you in advance for all the help and prayers that have been received.

Warm Wishes 

Lorraine and Steve Sargent

All funds will be directly sent to John Hesslers' account.