Four Years After Heart Transplant, Union County Man Reflects On Organ Donation

SCOTCH PLAINS, NJ — Four years after receiving a heart transplant, 61-year-old Craig Clark is reflecting on the "gift of life" and how organ donation saved his life.

Clark recently celebrated the four-year anniversary of his heart transplant. With his health and strength now restored, Clark is "living each day to its fullest by enjoying life’s precious moments and spending time on his favorite hobbies, including home improvement projects, day trips and travel," according to NJ Sharing Network.

“Each day that I get to travel and spend time with extended family and friends or special events like our children’s weddings or the birth of a grandchild, I remember that it was made possible thanks to my organ donor and the care of Susan Pardi, NP, and the amazing transplant team at NYU Langone who kept me alive through heart failure,” Clark said.

At the age of 17, Clark enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps and earned bachelor’s degrees in Criminal Justice and Art History from Seton Hall University before returning to active military duty as an Artillery Officer.

But during that time, doctors detected that Clark had a heart murmur, and he was soon diagnosed with cardiomyopathy. Despite his critical health challenges, Clark and his wife, Anna, raised their three children, Adam, Rachel and Nathan, and he enjoyed a successful career in transportation and supply chain management.

As years passed, Clark's heart disease grew progressively worse. According to NJ Sharing Network, he suffered a stroke and his heart stopped beating twice in a two-week period.

He then had a defibrillator implanted but was later diagnosed with congestive heart failure (CHF) in 2017. He was added to the heart transplant waiting list, and on Aug. 25, 2018, while admitted at NYU Langone, Clark received a call from NYU Langone cardiologist Alex Reyentovich that a heart was available for transplant.

"I remember answering the phone was basically the only thing that I had enough strength to do at the time," Clark said. "The next day, I had my transplant. I recovered quickly in the immediate days and weeks after transplant. I was out of the hospital in just seven days!"

Four years later, Clark is "filled with energy" and spends as much time as possible with his grandchild.

He is also forever mindful of his organ donor who gave him the "gift of life."

“The only thing that I know about my donor is that he was 51 years old when he passed,” Clark said. “My donor or his family’s decision to be a donor has essentially given me a new lease on life.”

Clark has also made it a priority to advocate for NJ Sharing Network — the nonprofit organization responsible for the recovery and placement of donated organs and tissue in the Garden State.

By sharing his story with others, Clark hopes to encourage more people to register as organ and tissue donors.

"One organ and tissue donor can save eight lives and enhance the lives of over 75 others,” Clark said.

The United Network of Organ Sharing reports that there are over 100,000 Americans – nearly 4,000 of whom live in New Jersey – waiting for a life-saving transplant.

To learn more, get involved and register as an organ and tissue donor, you can visit www.NJSharingNetwork.org.

Have a news tip? Email remy.samuels@patch.com.