A Father and a Fighter: Lifesaver gets a new chance at life
As a Phoenix firefighter, Dave Wipprecht firmly believes in miracles. In 2014, that faith was tested when Wipprecht began having difficulty breathing. Although doctors diagnosed him with pneumonia, his breathing problems persisted so he checked into Banner Thunderbird Medical Center.
An echocardiogram revealed that his heart was four times its normal size. Wipprecht was given heart medication, but shortly afterward his leg began to hurt. Doctors found blood clots throughout his body, due to his heart only functioning at 10 percent.
Rushed into emergency surgery and then transferred to Mayo Clinic Hospital, Wipprecht was placed at the top of the waiting list for a new heart.
Journey of Faith
Throughout his three-and-a-half month stay at Mayo Clinic Hospital, hooked up to IVs and taking medication daily, Wipprecht maintained an optimistic attitude for his wife and three young sons.
In June 2015, his doctor told Wipprecht that they had exhausted all their options and predicted he only had nine days to live. Still, Wipprecht’s positivity never wavered. He continued to show strength and bravery, even amidst adversity, as any proud father would.
“I knew I’d get through this, knowing that I had to stay alive for my family,” Wipprecht says.
His faith was rewarded when, six days later, he received news that a new heart was available. Wipprecht says that he woke up smiling after the successful surgery.
“I could breathe normally,” Wipprecht says. “I felt new again.”
The Gift of New Life
Back at home just nine days later, Wipprecht took care of his new heart. After celebrating his two-year transplant anniversary, Wipprecht wrote a letter to his donor’s family and hopes to meet them someday.
Even before his transplant experience, Wipprecht had always been a registered donor. Now donation has even more meaning. At the fire department, he and his fellow firefighters always did everything they could to save someone’s life. On the sad occasion when that person might not make it, their efforts could still help save someone else’s life through donation. Wipprecht proudly displays a Donate Life license plate and shares his story with others.
“I would encourage others to stay positive and tell them there’s a reason for everything,” says Wipprecht. “And if it’s my time to go, then it’s my time to help others.”
Thanks to the generosity of others, Wipprecht can continue to be a father and a fighter, and for that he is forever grateful.
Celebration of Life
Isabel Dominguez (back, second from left) honored her big brother’s legacy with her family at the Celebration of Life.
On Sept. 17, 2017, donor families from across Arizona attended the Donation Celebration of Life. This outdoor, family-friendly event created a space to share stories and celebrate loved ones who selflessly gave life to others.
Isabel Dominguez attended in honor of her older brother George Louis Bernal III, who passed away in a car accident at the hands of a drunk driver in 1999. It has been 18 years since 22-year-old Bernal became a donor and gave the gift of life and healing to at least two others. Dominguez and her family keep his memory alive every day.
As Dominguez grew up she realized how much it would mean to meet the man her brother’s heart saved.
“I struggled to put my words together because I wanted it to be perfect, but eventually I wrote the letter,” Dominguez says. “I wanted validation that my brother did something amazing and gave someone another 16 years of life.”
Hearts Reunited
Despite her fears, Dominguez received a call a month later from Gene Johnston, the man who is alive today thanks to her brother. Their families finally met in 2016 and are still in constant communication.
The touching reunion allowed Dominguez and her family to ask Johnston about his life now that he was given a second chance. He told them that his heart was still her brother’s heart, that he was just borrowing it. Dominguez also bonded with Johnston’s wife and talks to her every day.
“Now my goal is to keep his memory alive. We’ve had a lot of closure this year and we want to maintain my brother’s memory,” she says.
The family’s first event with Donor Network of Arizona (DNA) was a luncheon last year. Since then they have met countless other families impacted by donation. Everyone came together at the Donation Celebration of Life to honor their loved ones and take comfort in the company of others who know a similar journey.
“You meet all these people and you know it took a tragic event for them to be there, but you’re a family.”
Slam Dunk for Donation with Phoenix Mercury
Thanks to the Phoenix Mercury, heart recipient and Donate Life Arizona volunteer Evelyn Strope enjoyed a night of special recognition with the team she loves.
At the age of 14, Strope was diagnosed with ventricular septal defect, a medical condition that creates a hole in the wall of the heart, dividing the left and right ventricles. By the time she was 20, she had undergone two open heart surgeries to try to fix the problem.
It was during her second operation that Strope was diagnosed with congestive heart failure. Her only option to live depended on a lifesaving heart transplant. Due to her worsening condition, Strope, who loved playing basketball and dreamt of joining the WNBA, was not able to play the sport she so deeply loved.
Her health continued to decline, and after spending nearly nine months in the hospital and being on heart medication for 10 years, Strope, now 30, was added to the national transplant waiting list. Nearly two years later, she received the news she had hoped for: a heart was available for her. Since receiving her lifesaving transplant, Strope has been able to go on cruises, visit national parks and play basketball again. Strope has also had the opportunity to meet the family of her donor, a 15-year-old girl named Amber.
“She means the world to me. She gave me a second chance at life that I wouldn’t have had otherwise; she’s given me the opportunity to fulfill my dreams that I wouldn’t have been able to do,” says Strope.
A Game to Remember
On Friday, July 14, the Phoenix Mercury honored Strope and Donate Life Arizona with a night to remember. The hometown female basketball team invited Strope to the court to watch the team warm up for their game against the Minnesota Lynx, one of their fiercest rivals. She was wearing the jersey the Phoenix Mercury made just for her, with number eight representing the number of lives someone can potentially save through organ donation.
While waiting for the game to start, fans watched the Donate Life Arizona message broadcasted on the many screens around the arena, encouraging them to register to give the gift of life.
The excitement culminated for Strope when the Phoenix Mercury presented her with a ball signed by the whole team during half time. Thanks to her lifesaving transplant she can cheer on the Phoenix Mercury and enjoy more time with her loved ones.
Partnership to Save Lives
All season Donate Life Arizona has been scoring slam dunks for donation with the Phoenix Mercury WNBA team! The Phoenix Mercury chose Donate Life Arizona to attend games to educate and register basketball fans as organ and tissue donors this summer. Thanks to the enthusiasm and generosity of X-Factor Mercury fans and game attendees, Donate Life Arizona has received 80 new registrations so far! These new registered donors have the power to save more than 600 lives through organ donation and heal up to 4,000 more through tissue donation.
Attend upcoming games on Aug. 12 and Aug. 24 to register or reaffirm your commitment to donation and get some free Donate Life swag and a chance to win a signed photo of a Mercury team member!
