Tiny collections of inflammatory cells were growing in Chris’ lungs and causing scar tissue. Chris had seven bouts of pneumonia in a two-year period, his lung function dropped to 36 percent, and he was connected to an oxygen tank every minute of every day. He was in desperate need of a double lung transplant.

“It was a struggle to get through every day. Every moment was difficult,” Chris said.

Chris was unable to walk and talk at the same time, and he could not speak an entire sentence without taking breaths between each word. His skin was extremely pale, almost ghostly. Normal, everyday activities were far from easy.

“When I did laundry, I had to carry it up two flights of stairs. I had to put the laundry basket down on every single step. I couldn’t carry it all the way up because I couldn’t breathe and move at the same time, even on oxygen, and I had to try to conserve my energy,” Chris said.

Chris had to quit his job as a Department Manager at Wal-Mart because his energy was nonexistent and “I was literally killing myself just by going to work,” he said. He became too weak to sing at church, so he would mouth the words instead. He could not laugh without experiencing a coughing fit, and yawning became impossible.

Because he was too sick to work, Chris took on his most important role – a stay-at-home dad to his three daughters, Emily, Caitlin and Lauren. Though he loved spending more time with them, he was frustrated that he could not be very active. They would go on bike rides, but Chris would ride so slow that his daughters had to wait for him to catch up at every stop sign on every block.

“I couldn’t throw the softball back and forth with Emily for more than five minutes, and I couldn’t play soccer with Cait and Lauren for more than five minutes. When I reached that five-minute mark, I had to go lay down and take a nap for a few hours just to recuperate after that little bit of activity,” Chris said. “It was really hard on me and on them.”

One winter night, Chris fell asleep watching the History Channel and was awoken around midnight to the sound of the phone ringing.

That phone call changed Chris’ life forever. After almost three years on the waiting list, Chris was going to receive a double lung transplant!

Chris’ sister, Kim, picked up Emily, Caitlin and Lauren. Chris grabbed the suitcase that had been sitting by his front door for six months, and he headed to the Cleveland Clinic.

“I had a lot of emotions – anxiety, extreme happiness, elation and I was scared out of my mind,” Chris said.

On February 16, 2009, after 18 hours of surgery, Chris took his first breath with his new lungs.

“I took a deep breath, and I could feel my new lungs expand. It was the most incredible feeling,” Chris said. “The sensation was like nothing else. I really can’t put it into words.”

Chris’ first deep yawn “felt so good,” and he was able to laugh without coughing and sing loudly without being short of breath.

Within five days of his transplant, Chris was speed walking around the eighth floor of the Cleveland Clinic. He would bet cough drops with his neighbor, who received a single lung transplant the same day as Chris, that he could outrace him.

That friendly yet competitive nature sparked Chris’ interest in the Donate Life Transplant Games of America, an Olympic-style competition for transplant recipients. Chris was determined to participate after he recovered from his transplant.

“As a little kid, I had always watched the Olympics and wished I could do that, so the Transplant Games gave me a goal to reach and work for because competing in the Games was the next best thing to being an Olympic athlete,” Chris said.

And he achieved that goal. Chris has competed in the Donate Life Transplant Games of America, earning four medals. His best showing was at the 2014 Transplant Games, which was fitting because they were held in Houston, Texas.

“All I know about my donor is that they were from Texas, so being there was real. Part of me was back home,” Chris said.

Chris continues to be active at home too, and his now-grown-up daughters get to enjoy time with their healthy father. He is also raising his son, Noah, who was born in 2014.

The father of four has been determined to take care of the gift he was given so his health allows him to witness milestones. Chris was able to watch all three of his daughters graduate from high school and Emily graduate from college. One huge milestone that Chris has dreamt about for as long as he can remember became a reality in 2020 when he walked Emily down the aisle.

“Before Emily and I walked down the aisle, we hugged and she said, ‘You made it, Dad. You made it!’ I had to ask her if she was wearing tear-proof mascara because we were both crying happy tears,” Chris said. “I felt so much relief, joy and gratefulness that I was able to be there and experience that. It was a dream come true.”

Chris volunteers for Life Connection of Ohio to share how thankful he is for his second chance at life.

“Doctors said I had between two weeks and two months to live, so without my organ donor and my donor family, I wouldn’t be here to see all of these incredible things,” Chris said. “I have had a blessed life. Every day has been a miracle. I can’t say enough how grateful I am to be able to live and breathe again.”

*While we are heartbroken to share that Chris passed away on May 22, 2022, we are grateful that he was gifted more than 13 years of additional life because of organ donation.*