A Heart for Kemiyah

After months of uncertainty, Kemiyah receives the call that changes everything—a perfect heart is waiting. As she undergoes transplant surgery and begins the road to recovery, she reflects on the journey, the people who never gave up on her, and the grace that carried her through. This is the moment hope became healing—and a new beat began.

Episode Transcript

(00:00):
The second call came.

(00:01):
This time, it was real.
The heart was a match.
The perfect size.
The perfect fit.
I had just been discharged from the hospital and was staying at the Gift of Life House.
It felt like things were finally calming down—then suddenly, we were heading back to the hospital.
They gave us a room and told us the surgery would be the next day.

(00:22):
I didn’t know how to feel.
I was scared.
Nervous.
But I wasn’t alone.
My mom was with me, like she had been since the very beginning.
The next day, I went into surgery.
And just like that… I got a new heart.
The recovery?
Fast.
Hard.
Stressful.
But it was different this time.

(00:43):
I wasn’t fighting to stay alive—I was learning how to live again.
There were still struggles.
Still moments of exhaustion, frustration, and grief.
But there was peace too.
A kind of relief I hadn’t felt in months.
I could breathe again.
And I could finally start looking forward instead of just surviving the moment.

(01:04):
I’m beyond grateful—grateful for my mom,who never left my side… Grateful for my care team,
who treated me with patience and compassion… And most of all,
grateful to God for blessing me with this second chance.
This journey changed me forever.
I may not remember every detail—but I’ll never forget the strength I found,

(01:27):
the love that surrounded me,and the heartbeat that gave me a brand new start.
From November to May… From a night of dancing to a life renewed… This is my story.