SURVIVOR STORY: Mike O'Brien

Kylie Reese
Jun 29
2 min read

Name: Michael O’Brien

Location: Tufts Medical Center, Boston, MA

Diagnosis: Cardiomyopathy - Dec. 2015

Transplanted: Heart Transplant - Aug. 29, 2023

A Second Chance: Mike’s Journey Through Advanced Heart Failure and the Gift of Transplant

In 2015, Mike was diagnosed with cardiomyopathy. Thanks to a carefully managed heart failure treatment plan, he remained asymptomatic for eight years—until everything changed in late August 2023. Without warning, he slipped into advanced heart failure.

Mike with his three daughters, and wife outside on sunny day. — Mike O'Brien with his wife, Jennifer, and their daughters.

Mike’s condition deteriorated rapidly. He was admitted to the hospital, where an Impella heart pump was inserted to stabilize him. Just two days later, he was officially listed for a heart transplant. The situation was urgent, and time was not on his side. Miraculously, only four days after being listed, Mike received the call—a matching heart was available.

For Mike, the most difficult part of the experience wasn’t the surgery itself—it was the terrifying uncertainty of whether a heart would come in time.

“I was extremely sick,” he recalled. “The hardest part was wondering if I would get a heart before it was too late.”

Since receiving his transplant, Mike’s perspective on life has been transformed. “I don’t stress about the little things anymore,” he shared. “Every day is a blessing. I try to live each day being the best person I can be—and to pay it forward every chance I get.”

Throughout his recovery, Mike found strength in the incredible heart failure and transplant team at Tufts Medical Center. He also leaned on the unwavering support of his family and friends—and the community he discovered through the HeartBrothers Foundation.

Lenny, Mike, and Jay in hall of hospital visiting patients. — Post-transplant, Mike (pictured alongside fellow Team HeartBrothers members Lenny and Jay) brings hope and encouragement during his visits with heart failure patients.

“Connecting with HeartBrothers reminded me that I’m not alone,” he said. “Knowing there are others who’ve been through this made all the difference.”

When asked what he wishes more people knew about life after transplant, Mike was clear: “Life is a gift. Being an organ recipient is a blessing. Organ donation creates miracles. I wish more people would choose to become donors.”

Mike’s journey is a powerful example of resilience, hope, and the lifesaving impact of organ donation. It’s also a reflection of the HeartBrothers Foundation’s mission—to stand beside patients and families through the toughest days and to ensure no one faces heart failure alone.

Pictured above (top left), Mike shares a powerful moment meeting his donor’s family—an emotional reminder of the gift that changed his life. Since his transplant, Mike has been able to enjoy meaningful time with his loved ones, reconnect with friends, give back to others, and even fire up the grill—everyday moments made possible by one selfless act of organ donation.

Help save lives—register as an organ donor today by visiting: neds.org