Jeff Joyner

Nine months after receiving a heart transplant, Jeff Joyner, 31, a salesman at Siskin Steel and an avid mountain bike rider, says he is in the best shape of his life.

He is using his new vigor to get the word out about the importance of organ donation. Also a victim of stoke, he wants to help educate people about the warning signs.

Q: How did the diagnosis of an enlarged heart change your life?

A: Up to this point, my life has been an incredible journey. College, marrying the love of my life, Crystal, and having two wonderful boys.... I believe everything happens for a reason. I really couldn’t say what I would be doing now if I hadn’t gotten sick, but I do know that having a stroke and fighting heart disease has made me who I am today.

Q: Do you know (or want to know) the heart donor?

A: The only thing I know is that my heart came from North Carolina. I used to joke with the doctors at UAB (University of Alabama in Birmingham), asking them if my heart came from Alabama, does it mean I would have to become an Alabama or Auburn fan? I can contact the family, but Crystal and I are giving them time to grieve. As I am getting healthier every day, the donor family is mourning the lost of their loved one. Their wound is still very fresh.

Q: Are you an organ donor now?

A: Absolutely. I encourage everyone to become an organ donor. It doesn’t just apply to those who have passed. You can donate bone marrow and save someone’s life today. I believe the state of Tennessee should provide more advertising for organ donation. My donor’s selfless gift has given me the chance to be a husband to my wife and be the best father I can to my boys. The only way I can repay that is by living every day like it is the best day I have ever had.

Q: How important is it for young people to recognize warning symptoms and not feel as if they’re invincible?

A: It is important for people both young and old to be aware of what is going on with their bodies. I was able to recognize that something was just not quite right and got help early. Some people are not so fortunate.

Q: Do you miss the military? Had you planned on it being a lifetime career?

A: Yes, I do miss it terribly and had planned on making it a career. However, I don’t want to live a life full of what-ifs.