For most of his life, Ken Kent was the picture of energy and optimism. A lifelong sports fan, Ken loved golf, fishing, football and cooking for his family and friends. He was known for his humor, loyalty and his ability to make everyone feel like a friend.
But in 1998, that boundless energy began to fade. Ken was diagnosed with cardiomyopathy, a disease that weakens the heart muscle. “I spent four days in the hospital and left with a cocktail of medications that I stayed on for years,” he recalls. “Things held steady for a while, but in 2010, everything changed.”
That year began more than a decade of medical challenges that included two heart ablations, six cardioversions, long hospital stays to treat fluid retention and the eventual placement of a pacemaker and defibrillator. In 2017, his condition had worsened, and his doctors told him he had two options: hospice care or left ventricular assist device (LVAD).
“I chose life,” Ken said. “I received my LVAD in September 2017. It gave me more time but life was far from normal. I couldn’t compete in sports, travel was difficult and I was tethered to batteries and machines every day.”
Still, Ken remained hopeful. After more than four years with the LVAD, he was placed on the transplant list. “I was on the list at one hospital for more than four years,” he said. “Then I transferred my care to the University of Chicago Medical Center. They took over my listing on April 12, 2022, and six days later, on April 18, I got the call.”
That call changed everything. “We were scared but relieved,” Ken said. “For me, it was my only chance to live a normal life. I wasn’t afraid. I was hopeful.”
Ken’s heart came from a 34-year-old man named Tiernan, who passed away on Good Friday from a brain aneurysm. Tiernan had registered as an organ donor just months earlier, on his birthday. He left behind a wife and a 9-week-old baby boy. “Gift of Hope was there for his family, helping them through the hardest moment of their lives,” Ken said. “And because of that, I’m alive today.”
Ken later met his donor’s family, forming a lasting friendship rooted in gratitude and love. “I host a golf outing every June to raise money for Tiernan’s son’s college fund,” Ken said. “Tiernan’s heart in my body is going to make it possible for his son to go to college. It’s incredible.”
Today Ken’s life feels like a “fairy tale.” He’s back to golfing, fishing, cooking, traveling with his wife of 38 years and playing with his grandson. “I’m the crazy grandpa now,” he laughs. “Life is wonderful.”
Together with his wife, Ken now serves as an ambassador for Gift of Hope, sharing his story at driver’s education classes, flag-raising ceremonies and community events. “When people hear my story, they really understand what a true gift organ donation is,” he said. “When someone shows me they’ve registered to be a donor it becomes the highlight of the event.”
Ken never forgets all who make donation possible, not just the donors and their families, but also the healthcare teams who make each gift a reality. “The dedication of the Gift of Hope team as well as the nurses, doctors, and healthcare staff is unmatched,” he said. “They save lives and make heroes. I’m one of the lucky ones because of them.”
