A 45-year-old mother of three from Novato, California, recently received a life-saving gift: a new heart. Prior to the transplant, she had a life expectancy of only five years due to severe heart issues. The woman, named Manuela, is now thriving with her new heart and is celebrating the holidays with her family.
Manuela had a heart attack and was in a coma for seventeen days in 2019. Since then, she has kept detailed instructions about her health history posted on her living room wall, as English is not her husband’s first language. However, a magical day arrived for her when she received the heart transplant she so desperately needed. With her new heart, she feels amazing and can hear her heartbeat every day.
Manuela’s teenage daughters are thrilled to see their mom getting healthier by the day. The family is grateful for the gift of life but also acknowledges the loss experienced by the donor’s family. Manuela credits the nonprofit organization Help, Hope, Live for helping her set up a fundraising site to cover her medical costs. Despite being just two months post-transplant, Manuela is already setting goals for next year, including running a 5k in Hawaii with her family.
