Calen Grace absolutely loved to fish. The 14-year-old could do it for hours on end. He also loved sitting with adults and asking questions about their family tree. On August 31, 2012, Calen went to a school dance. He called his mom from the event and said, “I love you mama.” That was the last time Dawn would ever hear her son’s voice. After the dance, Calen brought two friends back to his house in Crofton, Kentucky. It was late at night and Calen’s parents were already sleeping. The three boys went into the garage to lift weights. That’s when Calen grabbed a pistol – which he thought was broken.
“His best friend told him to put it down,” says Dawn. “Calen pulled the trigger to prove it didn’t work. He pulled it again. Same thing – it didn’t go off. But the third time Calen pulled the trigger, a bullet struck him in the head.”
Calen was rushed to the hospital. Dawn and her husband were soon faced with the decision of whether or not to donate Calen’s organs. Dawn says Calen later appeared to her – telling her to make the right decision and help others.
“Calen was such a giver. If he knew you wanted or needed something, he’d do his best. I made the decision based on who Calen was – and in the end, his organs saved five lives.”
One of those lives was 55-year-old Joseph “Joe” Hansen of Council Bluffs, Iowa. In 2011, Joe was diagnosed with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy – his heart muscle was abnormally thick, making it difficult for the heart to pump blood.
In June 2012, Joe was placed on the heart transplant waiting list at Nebraska Medicine. That July, he got the call that a heart was available. But, when Joe awoke from anesthesia, he was informed that the operation didn’t happen. The heart wasn’t viable. Roughly two months later, he received the call again. Little did Joe know at the time, but it was Calen’s heart. The then 51-year-old underwent a heart transplant at Nebraska Medicine. Surgery started late in the day on September 2, 2012, with Calen’s heart officially going into Joe’s chest on September 3.
Six months after receiving the heart, Joe wrote a letter to Calen’s family. He immediately received a letter back with pictures of Calen.
“I carry Calen’s photo with me and show it to everyone,” says Joe.
Since then, Joe has enrolled in a local community college, taking business and education classes.
“I’m definitely the oldest guy in the classroom, but I don’t mind!” laughs Joe.
He’s also been corresponding with Dawn through letters, emails and long phone calls. They’ve never met in person – until now. On Thursday, September 1, Dawn drove from Kentucky to Iowa with her husband, mother, sister and one of Calen’s best friends. They met Joe for the very first time, sharing hugs, smiles and tears. On Friday, September 2, Calen’s family met Joe’s cardiologist, Eugenia Raichlin, MD, at Nebraska Medicine. Using a stethoscope, they were able to listen to Calen’s heart beating inside Joe’s chest. They also spoke about the importance of organ donation.
“If Calen’s story can inspire more people to become registered organ donors, then I’m doing what my son would have wanted,” says Dawn. “Calen gave his life to Jesus when he was 12-years-old. The day of his accident, he drew a picture of a cross. Typically, Calen would sketch cartoons and animals, but this day was different. At his visitation, Calen’s teacher brought me the drawing. It’s now hanging in his bedroom – and was engraved on his tombstone. Sharing his faith and helping others is what Calen was all about.”
Approximately 120,000 people in the United States are on the waiting list for an organ transplant. Another person is added to the list every ten minutes. Due to the shortage of registered organ donors, about 22 people die each day waiting for their transplant. One organ, eye and tissue donor can save and heal more than 50 lives.
To learn more about the organ transplant program at Nebraska Medicine, visit www.nebraskamed.com/transplant.
