CALIFORNIA, USA: In a rare and deeply emotional story of loss and hope, April Johnson Heath met Valance Sam, the man who received her late son’s heart, liver, and kidney in a life-saving triple organ transplant. The two connected for the first time in person in Alabama, years after the donation changed Valance’s life.
April’s son Alec, a 21-year-old military serviceman, tragically passed away but became a hero through organ donation. His generous gift saved Valance, who was critically ill due to an autoimmune disorder that had ravaged his organs. At the time, Valance’s heart was functioning at less than 10%, and his liver and kidney were in failure. A triple transplant was his only hope — a procedure so rare it occurs only two or three times a year in the entire United States.
“I was praying every day for a miracle,” Valance recalled. That miracle came in the form of Alec, whose organs were a perfect match. After a grueling 20-hour surgery, Valance awoke with a new lease on life — and an unexplained emotional yearning. Unbeknownst to him, April was also longing to connect with the recipient of her son’s heart.
Their first phone call came on Alec’s birthday. “There was crying, there was laughing,” April said. Two years later, they met in person. April placed her head to Valance’s chest and listened to her son’s heartbeat once more.
Now, Valance says he feels a deep responsibility to honor Alec’s legacy. “All I can do is pay it forward… I have a lot to live for and live up to,” he said.
Their story is a powerful reminder of the healing power of organ donation and the enduring connections it creates.
