This past Valentine’s Day a Tennessee mom got an amazing gift – the chance to hear her son’s heartbeat inside the body of the woman whose life he saved.
In 2017 Wendy Hartley’s 21 year old son Kevin died from chemical poisoning while he was refinishing a bathtub. At that terrible moment Wendy made the difficult decision to donate her son’s organs and tissues. This action saved four lives and healed many others. One of the people touched by Kevin’s gifts is Rhonda Lucas who was brought back to life when she received Kevin’s heart.
On Valentine’s Day 2019 Rhonda and Wendy met for the first time in Vanderbilt University’s Medical Center. On that day Wendy was able to hear her son’s heartbeat – strong and full, for the first time since losing her son. “This is my son’s heart that is keeping someone else alive, and that’s just amazing that can happen,” said Hartley.
“I feel like I’m closer to Kevin, I feel like I have a sister, another sister in the family,” said Lucas.
