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>> Donald Young: I'm Donald Young from Lebanon, PA.
July will be the four years since I received my new heart and I'm doing great on it.
Well, it was kind of a long journey for me other [inaudible] for 10 months before I got
the heart and coming here and meeting all these people and talking their different experiences
it's a great feeling.
It's a great feeling to be here.
Because, I worked for 10 years before I got my new heart.
Now I got a part-time job.
I can do all the work around the house and it's a great feeling to do that.
>> Connie Murray: Hi.
I'm Connie Murray.
I live in New Cumberland, Pennsylvania.
And I received my heart in May of 1986 and I'm Number Thirty-two.
Actually, I was at work in the morning, intensive care in the afternoon, and a day later I was
told I needed a heart transplant.
And it was pretty hard to take.
I didn't want one.
I -- at that time it was something that you heard about, that it wasn't something that
it was going to be for me, but it got to the point where I really did need one.
I'm feeling very well.
And you have your ups and downs and -- but the heart's been really been good to me.
I think it likes me.
>> Julian Paris: Hi.
My name is Julian Paris.
I'm from Wernersville, Pennsylvania.
I've lived there most of my life near Reading.
I received my heart in 2002, March 26, 2002.
I feel like a million dollars.
I feel like I felt probably when I was 50 years old, and I am much older than that now.
But the most significant thing I've done over the last -- actually almost a year after I
was out of transplant for my heart was I became very involved with Gift of Life and the cause
for organ donation.
I was chairman of the Berks Coalition for at least eight or nine years.
I helped organize Waltz for Organ Donation.
And as far as that, that's really become a lot of the focus in my life.
>> Ronald Boris: My name is Ronald Boris.
>> Narrator: Where are you from?
>> Ronald Boris: Pottsville, Pennsylvania.
I received my new heart April 25 of '09.
I've gone to two transplant games.
I did a triathlon.
I finished fourth overall.
I ended up getting rookie after the year at all 50 states, which was a big thrill to me,
because after my transplant I only went -- you have to be out nine months before they release
you to do any physical activities.
I trained three months to go to the games.
I went out to Michigan and I competed in [inaudible] games.
I competed in four events, and three out of four of them I won medals.
I won two silvers and a bronze.
And after that I got the best news, the best present anybody could give you, as anybody
that receives an organ, I got to meet my donor family.
That meant the world to me because in my one letter I wrote to them I said I'm not crying.
My tears are not crying because of me receiving a heart; I'm crying because somebody else
died to give me his second chance of life.
And this man gave me a second chance at life and I'm making the best of it and honoring
him.
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>> Donald Young: I never give up.
Just put all your faith with the people here.
You know it's going to work.
>> Connie Murray: Listen to your doctors.
They know what they're doing.
And I mean, it's been great for me, 27 years.
What can I say?
>> Julian Paris: Well, I think the thing to remember if you're waiting for a heart is
you're going to have bad days, and it's going to seem very difficult but you don't have
a choice.
The thing is, when you receive that heart, within a period of a week you're going to
find improvement, not improvement from the week before but improvement that was six months
ago.
And I think the thing I remember most is I can feel my feet again.
They were cold and they weren't cold anymore.
But the thing is, it takes time.
You have to get used to the drugs and everything.
But if you're going to -- most people, and I'm one of them, you're going to feel like
a new person.
You're going to have a new perspective in life.
You're going to have a thankfulness.
It's just beyond belief.
And it's just a wonderful experience.
And you have to thank God that you're here.
>> Ronald Boris: First of all and foremost, I would have to say please, just keep plugging.
Do not give up because there is hope.
You just got to believe.
And there's enough people around to help you.
Just believe.
It will happen.
It happened to me.
It will happen to you.