(Source) AUGUSTA, Ga. (WFXG) – For years, Odie Screws’ heart could barely keep up with his life. The 61-year-old Augusta man spent four years relying on a left ventricular assist device (LVAD) to stay alive. This Father’s Day marks the first time he’ll celebrate the holiday outside a hospital room—thanks to a life-saving heart transplant.
In October, Screws received a donor heart after a long wait and multiple hospitalizations. “He came in and said, ‘We got you a heart.’ And I cried,” Screws said, recalling the moment his surgeon shared the news. “You start thinking about that somebody else’s family is… a donor, somebody has passed away, and then their family’s hurting.”
Screws said the experience took a toll on his family, especially his 20-year-old son, Payton.
“He saw me get transported to hospital, like seven times,” Screws said. “When you’re sick like that, you’re wondering—will I see my kid accomplish things? What will I get to see?”
For Payton, this year’s Father’s Day means more than ever. “It’s unfortunate that all the past Father’s Days have been him in the hospital,” he said. “Having him there really makes it better.”
Since his transplant, Screws has made up for lost time. He recently attended his first NASCAR race since surgery, threw out the ceremonial first pitch at a GreenJackets game, and returned to favorite family routines like church and putt-putt golf.
Now, he’s using his story to encourage others to become organ donors. “By being an organ donor, you’re really going to live on, because I’m not going to forget the person who did this for me,” he said. “I don’t know who it is, but I know that I won’t forget.”
According to LifeLink of Georgia, nearly 39% of Georgians are registered organ and tissue donors, yet more than 3,000 people in the state are currently waiting for transplants.
“One organ and tissue donor can save or improve up to 75 lives,” said Tracy Ide, public affairs manager for LifeLink. “In Odie’s case, someone’s legacy is continuing—he gets to be here for his son, and celebrate Father’s Day.”