This week, we meet Jimmy Tolleson, a preacher from Alabama whose journey to a new heart is a powerful testimony of faith and endurance.
Jimmy’s story began at just 16 years old, when he started experiencing chest pains. Despite repeated reassurances that his heart was fine, his symptoms continued for decades—until, at age 51, doctors at the Cleveland Clinic in Ohio discovered the truth. There, he underwent his first open-heart surgery, beginning a long road toward survival.
Years later, Jimmy received his life-saving heart transplant at St. Thomas West in Nashville, Tennessee. But his journey was made even more heartbreaking when his wife was diagnosed with terminal cancer—right as Jimmy was being placed on the transplant list. Balancing his own fight for life while saying goodbye to the love of his life tested his faith in unimaginable ways.
In this emotional and inspiring conversation, Jimmy shares how he found strength through faith, community, and the incredible gift of organ donation.
Let’s Stay Connected
Email: giftoflifepodcast@gmail.com
Website: www.giftoflifepodcast.com
Facebook: Gift of Life – The Organ Transplant Podcast
Listen & Share: https://lnk.to/GiftofLife
Featured in this Episode
BJ Odom’s Memoir: More Parts Than a Chicken Nugget
Grab your copy on Amazon — available in paperback and eBook!
If Jimmy’s story touched your heart, please help us spread the message:
Subscribe and leave a 5-star review on your favorite podcast app.
Share this episode with friends and family.
Together, we’re raising awareness, honoring donors, and celebrating new beginnings.
Thank you for being part of our life-giving community.
November 11th, 2025, 10:29 am
Gift of Life
Gift of Life 81 The Organ Transplant Podcast
00:00
48m
Published November 11th, 2025, 10:29 am
Description
This week, we meet Jimmy Tolleson, a preacher from Alabama whose journey to a new heart is a powerful testimony of faith and endurance.
Jimmy’s story began at just 16 years old, when he started experiencing chest pains. Despite repeated reassurances that his heart was fine, his symptoms continued for decades—until, at age 51, doctors at the Cleveland Clinic in Ohio discovered the truth. There, he underwent his first open-heart surgery, beginning a long road toward survival.
Years later, Jimmy received his life-saving heart transplant at St. Thomas West in Nashville, Tennessee. But his journey was made even more heartbreaking when his wife was diagnosed with terminal cancer—right as Jimmy was being placed on the transplant list. Balancing his own fight for life while saying goodbye to the love of his life tested his faith in unimaginable ways.
In this emotional and inspiring conversation, Jimmy shares how he found strength through faith, community, and the incredible gift of organ donation.
Let’s Stay Connected
Email: giftoflifepodcast@gmail.com
Website: www.giftoflifepodcast.com
Facebook: Gift of Life – The Organ Transplant Podcast
Listen & Share: https://lnk.to/GiftofLife
Featured in this Episode
BJ Odom’s Memoir: More Parts Than a Chicken Nugget
Grab your copy on Amazon — available in paperback and eBook!
If Jimmy’s story touched your heart, please help us spread the message:
Subscribe and leave a 5-star review on your favorite podcast app.
Share this episode with friends and family.
Together, we’re raising awareness, honoring donors, and celebrating new beginnings.
Thank you for being part of our life-giving community.
Share
Gift of Life
The Organ Transplant Podcast. Gift of Life is Hosted by BJ Odom, a double transplant recipient who received a life-saving heart in 2003 and a kidney in 2015. BJ knows firsthand the power of organ donation. After receiving a heart transplant and facing the challenges of anti-rejection medication, he needed a second transplant – a kidney. Now, BJ shares his inspiring journey and those of others in the organ transplant world. Hear from those in the medical field, transplant recipients, donor families, and more, all to raise awareness about the lifesaving gift of organ donation.
