In this moving episode, BJ Odom sits down with Brian Pitts, whose journey through heart disease and transplant is both harrowing and inspiring. Like so many others, Brian had no idea he was living with Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy (HCM)—until one life-changing day at a family wedding when he suddenly went into cardiac arrest.
After being rushed to the hospital, Brian’s short-term memory was deeply affected—he found himself repeatedly asking, “Why am I here?” Doctors inserted a defibrillator to stabilize his heart, beginning a long and difficult road to recovery. Eventually, Brian received his life-saving heart transplant, and today, he embraces each day as a gift.
Now, with renewed strength and gratitude, Brian dreams of one day sailing around the world—a powerful reminder that second chances aren’t just about survival, but about living life to the fullest.
Brian Pitts links
YouTube Page @DonateLifeBoat
Heart Transplant Support on facebook
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 inspiring memoir:
More Parts Than A Chicken Nugget
A Story of Survival, Second Chances, and the Family That Held Me Together
Grab your copy today: https://a.co/d/gNgC9jO
Available in paperback & eBook on Amazon
If Brian’s story touched your heart, please help us spread the message of hope and organ donation awareness:
Subscribe and leave a 5-star review
Share this episode with friends and family
Together, we’re raising awareness, honoring donors, and celebrating new beginnings.
November 25th, 2025, 10:21 am
Gift of Life
Gift of Life 83 The Organ Transplant Podcast
00:00
1h 7m
Published November 25th, 2025, 10:21 am
Description
In this moving episode, BJ Odom sits down with Brian Pitts, whose journey through heart disease and transplant is both harrowing and inspiring. Like so many others, Brian had no idea he was living with Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy (HCM)—until one life-changing day at a family wedding when he suddenly went into cardiac arrest.
After being rushed to the hospital, Brian’s short-term memory was deeply affected—he found himself repeatedly asking, “Why am I here?” Doctors inserted a defibrillator to stabilize his heart, beginning a long and difficult road to recovery. Eventually, Brian received his life-saving heart transplant, and today, he embraces each day as a gift.
Now, with renewed strength and gratitude, Brian dreams of one day sailing around the world—a powerful reminder that second chances aren’t just about survival, but about living life to the fullest.
Brian Pitts links
YouTube Page @DonateLifeBoat
Heart Transplant Support on facebook
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 inspiring memoir:
More Parts Than A Chicken Nugget
A Story of Survival, Second Chances, and the Family That Held Me Together
Grab your copy today: https://a.co/d/gNgC9jO
Available in paperback & eBook on Amazon
If Brian’s story touched your heart, please help us spread the message of hope and organ donation awareness:
Subscribe and leave a 5-star review
Share this episode with friends and family
Together, we’re raising awareness, honoring donors, and celebrating new beginnings.
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.
