Apr 10, 2015 By David Singer 3 min read

Lynda Zendek-Napierkowski shot photos of her late husband Steve when the two were at PNC Park’s fan appreciation night in 2008. She didn’t know she’d be documenting the last moments of his life right up until he had a heart attack and died in the ballpark.

“He had an unknown heart condition, an enlarged heart and other complications,” she said April 10 at a Center for Organ Recovery & Education event at St. Clair Hospital. The event brought together families who had relatives donate organs, tissue and bones, as well as families who benefited from them.

Among the tissues Steve’s body was able to give were tendons, transplanted coincedentally to another Steve, whom was also a sports fan. Napierkowski said he would be able to play tennis again.

“Organ donation was a conversation my first husband and I had very early on when we were dating at Indiana University,” she said. “It was very important to him. So shortly after, I elected myself an organ donor as well. And now as I try to start a family with my husband here on earth, I have a heavenly husband watching over.”

There are 123,000 people in the U.S. on a transplant waiting list, down about 1,000 people from 2013, according to data from CORE. One teen was on a waiting list only for 10 days, but most wait for up to a year if they don’t die, according to CORE representative Mark Succheralli. That teen’s symptoms were as heart-wrenching as his story.

“It was found I had several heart defects when I was just eight days old, and had five major surgeries by the time I was 5,” said Dalton Igoe, now 18.

“One of the complications, I was losing nutrients through my bloodstream. It caused my feet, face and neck to swell from the high pressure in my arteries; my stomach was bloated and I was in constant pain. I stopped growing when I was 13 years old.”

When Igoe received a heart May 8, 2012, from a 12-year-old girl who was hit by a car walking home from school, the donation created a bond between her mother and Igoe.

“Dajeianna Smith truly had a heart of gold. She saved my life,” he said, choking back tears. “Our families met in October. I had Valerie, her mom, put a stethoscope up against my chest so she could hear her daughter’s heart beating. I call her my heart mom. Because of Valerie’s daughter, I’ve become an EMT and I’m pursuing nursing school.”

Igoe is off blood thinners and other pain medication, but now takes anti-rejection drugs. He’s gained 60 pounds and grown 10 inches since the major complications were resolved. He said he hopes his story encourages others to elect donor status.