Forest Hills Resident Honors His Heart Donor's Memory: Report

FOREST HILLS, QUEENS — When Forest Hills resident Robert Skaretka woke up from a heart transplant, he wanted to meet the family of his donor.

"He wanted to meet us and thank us," Megan Ryan told Newsday, which first reported this story. "But we really owe thanks to him because in our darkest hour of tragedy, something good came from it."

The transplant happened in 1991, after Ryan's then 16-year-old brother named Terrance died in a car accident. His heart was donated to Skaretka; a choice that Ryan says she is grateful for, since he is now able to live a healthy life, and she is able to feel a connection to her brother when she's with him.

The most recent time the two saw each other was last weekend, at an organ-donor ceremony in Long Island, which honors organ recipients as well as the donors and donors' families.

This was the first time in a year that recipients and families were able to gather for the annual ceremony, since last year's memorial event was conducted virtually because of the coronavirus.

After the ceremony Ryan put her hand on Skaretka's arm and her eyes welled-up with tears.

"When we see each other I usually check in, just to feel my brother’s heart beating in his body," she said. "He’s really honored my brother by taking care of his body."

Read the full Newsday article here.