Dave Gray
Type of Donation: heart recipient
Age and Location: Age 64 – Rensselear, NY
Date of Transplant: 8/20/2016
Sponsor: Honored by Center for Donation and Transplant
DAVE’S STORY
David "Dave" Gray was a procurement specialist at Owens Corning, in Feura Bush, N.Y., where he worked for 37 years. In 2015, he was struck by viral cardiomyopathy, which compromised his heart, and he was told he would need to be evaluated for a heart transplant. Dave was accepted and placed on the organ transplant registry on December 4, 2015, and received a left ventricular assist device, or LVAD, a surgically implanted mechanical heart pump, in March of 2016. That device allowed Dave to walk his daughter down the aisle at her wedding. On August 20, 2016, after a year-long battle that included 177 days in the hospital, Dave received his lifesaving gift of life: a new heart from a 30-year-old organ donor. Since that time, Dave has been a devoted organ donation and transplantation advocate, raising awareness of the importance of organ, eye and tissue donation, and supporting patients anxiously waiting for a transplant or who are going through the donation process. Dave focuses his volunteer activities on organ and tissue donation and patient care. He is active throughout New York, traveling regularly to Westchester Medical Center, visiting patients and advocating for them on the patient family council. He volunteers with The Center for Donation and Transplant, Donate Life New York State, and LiveOnNY. It's been 7 years since Dave has received his heart. In those 7 years he celebrated his first grandson's 8th birthday. He witnessed 2 grandchildren be born, Lucy who is now 6 and Casey who is now 3 years old. In September, Dave celebrated his 44th wedding anniversary with his wife Cathy. Dave will tell you "Don't sweat the small stuff." He wakes up every morning with his donor on his mind. Dave is forever grateful for his donor and has dedicated his life to giving back to the donation community.