Patrick Holland was on his way to Seattle from Fairbanks, Alaska, for a heart transplant when his plane was grounded because of the major winter storm that hit last week.
“I felt destroyed. I had never experienced so many emotions, up and down rollercoaster, in my life,” Holland said. He was traveling with his brother. Shortly after his plane was grounded, he was informed the heart would go to someone else in need.
“(My brother) said, ‘Hey brother, it’s going to be a miracle blessing for somebody else, a Christmas present for somebody else’s father, somebody else’s son,’” Holland said.
Holland’s wife has been sharing his story on social media and as word spread, people reached out to help.
“To get a heart transplant in two-and-a-half weeks is a miracle, so we follow a lot of heart transplant recipients and I don’t think any of them made it that fast,” Holland said. “So for them to find a perfect match was amazing.”
So that nothing like this happens again, Holland is coming to stay in Seattle until next week so that he’s close when he does get that call.
“When I get this new heart, the first thing I’m going to do is chase my 3-year-old son around, that is huge on my list because that’s been taken away from me,” Holland said. “I really enjoy helping out seniors, that’s also next on my list.”
A family saw Holland’s story and has offered to let him stay with them while he waits.
“I’ve got families saying, ‘Hey, we got a spare bedroom, we would love to have you,’ and these are people stepping out of their comfort zone that don’t even know me,” Holland said.
He hopes to inspire others to help those in need.
“I’m definitely sad because someone has to give me that heart, so there’s that sad part that really gets to me, too, but I can promise the family that heart wouldn’t be wasted,” Holland said.