A 23-year-old woman in Akron, Ohio, was moved to tears after meeting the family of someone who saved her life.
“Just absolutely amazing and breathtaking, emotional, but also gratifying,” said heart transplant recipient Katherine Herrmann.
Herrmann had undergone 20 surgeries and procedures on her heart before even reaching the age of 20. When she suffered heart failure while still in college, her doctors told her a transplant was the only option to keep her alive.
“That was when we knew I was either leaving the hospital with a heart or leaving the hospital out the back door,” said Herrmann.
Her name was added to the transplant list, but there was no guarantee of getting a heart donor. However, 35 days after being admitted to the hospital, she found out a heart had become available.
“We knew that they were grieving something immense,” said Herrmann. “A family that was losing not only maybe a child that we came to found out, but a loved one … They’ve lost them now, and while they are giving life, you’re losing that piece of them.”