This Father's Day, I celebrate not only my dad, Mo, but the incredible strength, humor, and heart—quite literally—that define him. Mo is 64 years old and has been married to my mom, Helen, for over 40 years. Together, they built a beautiful life, raising three children: Alisha, Colin, and me, Brianna. Through every chapter, joyful or challenging, my dad has been resilient, steadfast and continues to never give up.
I feel an overwhelming sense of gratitude that I still get to celebrate with my dad. This year marks ten years since the phone call that changed everything—for him, and for all of us.
It all started when I was in high school. My dad's health had started to decline. We knew heart issues ran in our family, but we never imagined how serious it could become. After months of uncertainty, he was diagnosed with cardiomyopathy, a disease that weakens the heart muscle, making it harder and harder to pump blood. For my dad, it meant a slow descent into heart failure.
Doctors tried everything: a pacemaker, a defibrillator, countless medications. But his heart just couldn't keep up. Eventually, he was given a mechanical device called an LVAD, a left ventricular assist device, that was implanted to help pump blood through his body while he waited on the transplant list. It is essentially an artificial heart pump. It was truly our last hope.
Those months were filled with long hospital stays, infections, and endless appointments. There were days when even walking across the room left him breathless and fatigued. Yet through it all, my dad never stopped fighting. "Never give up," he would say, no matter how hard things got. Watching his determination was both inspiring and heartbreaking.
After 18 long months of waiting, the call came: a heart was available. My dad was getting a second chance at life.
It's hard to describe the depth of our gratitude for the person who made that possible. A complete stranger, someone we'll never get to thank, chose to become an organ donor, and in doing so, saved my father's life. Their selfless decision gave us more than a heart—it gave us time.
Since his transplant, my dad has made a full recovery. This year, we celebrated his 10-year "heartiversary." In those ten years, he's lived a full and beautiful life. He walked me down the aisle at my wedding. He's become a grandfather to five amazing grandchildren. He plays golf with my brother regularly and travels the world with my mom. These moments—these memories—are everything.
Every Father's Day, I think of the donor and their family. I think of the quiet courage it takes to say "yes" in a moment of unimaginable grief. And I think of the incredible gift they gave—not just to my dad, but to all of us who love him.
Because of them, we got the greatest gift of all: time.
If you've ever thought about organ donation, I hope my dad's story encourages you to take that additional step to register your decision. One "yes" can give another family more moments, more memories, and more time.
All you need is two minutes and your Personal Health Number to register your decision on organ donation. Registeryourdecision.ca
