Sam Dey – Heart Recipient
Sam Dey survived a massive heart attack in April 2009 and returned to work at General Motors’ HQ after being stented. He resumed international travel and during a business trip to India, he began experiencing severe health issues. Diagnosed with congestive heart failure (CHF) and type 2 diabetes, doctors in India advised him against traveling back to the US. Sam remained stranded in India for five years, undergoing several hospitalizations and a life-saving quadruple bypass surgery in 2010.
In 2013, he was implanted with a CRT-D device and was informed that returning to the US would be his best option to possibly be listed for a heart transplant.
Sam was finally able to return to the US in April 2014, with the help of his Angel wife and caregiver, Viji. He was referred to several hospitals for advanced heart failure treatment. He was eventually admitted to the University of Maryland Medical Center in Baltimore to be evaluated for a heart transplant on Dec. 26, 2014. Finally, on April 20, 2015 Sam was blessed with the ultimate Gift of Life. After a 7+ month stint in the hospital, Sam was finally able to go home with his Gift. Since the transplant, Sam has been able to spend time with his loved ones. He’s been able to witness both his daughters graduate high school and has been able to watch them grow up, teach them driving etc. He’s also been able to attend his older daughter’s graduation from college and watch her flourish as a Special Ed. teacher. Sam is actively involved in advocating for organ donation and transplantation communities.
Sam is an active Donate Life Ambassador and he’s involved with several organizations that advocate for organ donation including TRIO, UNOS, AMAT, NKF, Transplant Journey, TransplantLyfe, Infinite Legacy and several others. He educates and mentors many in the transplant (pre & post) community (both, in-person and via various social media platforms). He also facilitates many support groups to help others who are about to embark on a transplant journey (or are already in it). Sam also educates and raising awareness about Living Donation because of the impact it can have in reducing the transplant waiting list (for Kidney & liver candidates).
Sam refers to his donor heart as “this gift” and “this blessing” and he hopes to one day meet his donor’s amazing family, to thank them in person. “Back when I was very sick and falling down all the time, I didn’t think I would even make it to age 45,” Sam says. “On April 20th , 2023 I celebrated my 8th heart transplant anniversary, and next month I’ll be 54! None of this would be possible had my hero not been a registered organ donor”. Sam considers himself extremely lucky, completely blessed and eternally grateful. He truly believes that:
#Organ Donation + #Transplantation = Miracles 💯
💙♻️💚 #donatelife 💙♻️💚
➡️ https://registerme.org/
#AAPIHeritageMonth #AMAT #organdonation #livingdonation #saveslives #livingdonorsrock #share your spare #beadonor #beahero
Thank you!