The Heart that Lived Twice: The Case of Sonny Graham and Terry Cottle

In April 2008, neighbors in Vidalia, Georgia, were jolted awake by the sound of a shotgun blast. The man who died that morning was no stranger — Sonny Graham was a beloved golf director, a husband, a father. But Sonny also carried a secret: the transplanted heart of another man who had died by suicide more than a decade earlier. That man’s widow, Cheryl, had since become Sonny’s wife. What unfolded was a story so eerie it captured headlines across the world: two suicides, one heart, one wife. But behind the sensational coverage was something far more complicated — a collision of love, survival, stigma, and myth-making.

In this episode, Bailey and Chelsea unravel the haunting symmetry of Sonny Graham and Terry Cottle’s lives. From the quiet desperation inside a South Carolina trailer, to the medical miracle of a transplant, to the crushing burden of being turned into a symbol, this is the story of how communities cling to folklore when the truth feels unbearable — and why even a heart strong enough to beat twice couldn’t carry the weight of a legend.

Resources:   Struggling with Suicidal Thoughts?  For the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, Call/Text 988  Previously known as the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, the 988 Lifeline provides 24/7, free and confidential support for people in distress, prevention and crisis resources for you or your loved ones, and best practices for professionals in the United States.     Find a Therapist:  Psychology Today: Health, Help, Happiness + Find a Therapist  BetterHelp - Get Started & Sign-Up Today    Depression Resources:  Helpful Online Resources for Depression (webmd.com)    If you want to support us, subscribe, rate and review on your favorite podcast listening app! Want to recommend a wild case or just give us a 'hey!'? Contact us at [e-mail] Buy Merch!: www.wildcidepodcast.com   Updates on Instagram: @wildcidepodcast

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References: Associated Press. (2008, April 6). Recipient of suicide victim’s heart kills self 12 years later. The Seattle Times. https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/health/recipient-of-suicide-victims-heart-kills-self-12-years-later/

Associated Press. (2008, April 6). Man with suicide victim’s heart takes own life. NBC News. https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna23984857

Associated Press. (2008, April 7). Same fate for donor, recipient. Los Angeles Times. https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm- 2008-apr-07-na-oddheart7-story.html

Associated Press. (2008, April 7). Transplant patient in bizarre suicide. Otago Daily Times. https://www.odt.co.nz/news/world/transplant-patient-bizarre-suicide

Associated Press. (2008, April 7). Heart transplant recipient dies same way donor did (suicide). WFMY News 2. https://www.wfmynews2.com/story/news/2008/04/07/heart-transplant-recipient-dies-same-way-donor-did-suicide/16660567/

Associated Press. (2008, April 7). Heart transplant man dies like suicide donor. The Telegraph. https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/1584391/Heart-transplant-man-dies-like-suicide-donor.html

Associated Press. (2008, April 13). Transplant patient in bizarre suicide. CBS News. https://www.cbsnews.com/news/transplant- patient-in-bizarre-suicide/

Associated Press. (2008, August 31). Transplant tragedy: 2 men, 2 suicides, 1 heart, 1 widow. Deseret News. https://www.deseret.com/2008/8/31/20266449/transplant-tragedy-2-men-2-suicides-1-heart-1-