by Louis E. Sorendo

Jonathan Sorendo was a healthy seventeen-year-old high school wrestler who was stricken by dilated cardiomyopathy, a disease of the heart muscle. The cause of this chronic disease is unknown, although doctors theorized it was caused by a viral infection. This teenager from Oswego, New York, was suddenly thrust into the biggest match ever—a fight for his life. He would go from a vibrant, energetic athlete to a pale, emaciated patient at New York Presbyterian Hospital in New York City. After exhausting all options, doctors determined there was only one solution, a heart transplant. This is Jon's story of courage, from the edge of death to an opportunity for a new lease on life. It is seen through his father's eyes and attempts to capture the wide range of emotions associated with heart transplantation.