Support Vincent’s Heart Transplant Journey

From our heart to yours, help heal Vinny’s heart!

Vin went to the ER one week ago tired of feeling sick and thinking he had pneumonia. Once they cleared that, they realized the fluid in his lungs was from his heart. His heart was in failure. He has an "ejection fraction" of 20 (which is low enough for hospice and considered massive heart failure.) His heart was taking in blood, but not able to pump it out fast enough so it just kinda had to pool somewhere.

He was diagnosed Covid Cardiomyopathy. Covid is a vascular issue that can sometimes change the viscosity (SAT word!) or the consistency of your blood.. making it "sticky". The blockages around Vin's heart arent from plaque, but blood clots. So a lot of the heart was damaged beyond repair because it was blood and oxygen deprived. His heart is shot and he's on the Heart Transplant list.

When they did the cath test last week it stopped his heart and he went into VFib and had to be shocked back. They're having to do another one today, so he's really nervous about it. Because of that, they're putting an ICD (a small defibrillator) that will basically shock him back to normal if that happens while he's waiting on a transplant. Theyll propably put his heart on an LVAD that will essentially pump for the heart until he gets a transplant. Hopefully he'll get to wait for the heart at home.

As you may know, Vinny has an eight year old son named Ian. Ian needs his Daddy around. Unfortunately Ian isn’t allowed at the hospital because he's under eighteen. which is really really hard on them both. For the forseeable future, he'll be on anti-rejection meds, so if ian gets so much as a cold, he cant be around him. Vin will be severely immunosuppressed.

On top of the emotional and physical stress, there will be a significant financial burden. According to statista.com, the average heart transplant in 2021 costs 1.6 million dollars. Insurance only covers some of the cost. Your donation will help Vincent pre and post-surgery. The year following a heart transplant will be riddled with appointments, time unable to work, expensive anti-rejection medications and so much more. Any little bit helps!

From the bottom of our hearts,

Vincent, Ian, his family and all those that love him

*thanks to Kelli Rice for helping write this narrative.