Dave McLaughlin’s New Lease on Life: Celebrating Every Milestone

Dave honors his donor hero at the Infinite Legacy Donate Life Fun Run.

In 2017, Dave McLaughlin of Catonsville, MD, was going about his normal life until one day he started feeling sick and had a stroke. Dave went into heart failure and learned that his heart was only functioning at 10% effectiveness. To survive, Dave had an abdominal left ventricular assistance device (LVAD) implanted in 2019 to help blood pump more effectively.  

Over the next few months, Dave continued to focus on getting healthy. When his doctor suggested he be placed on the national transplant waiting list in 2019, Dave knew he needed a new heart to save his life. His family became familiar with the organ, eye and tissue donation process after his brother’s death in 1999 and were inspired to register as donors.  

Getting the Call: Dave’s Heart Transplant Journey 

Nine months later, on August 24, 2020, Dave was at the University of Maryland Medical Center (UMMC) in the morning for his LVAD appointment. He was going about his day when he got a phone call from his cardiologist around 5:30 p.m. Dave remembered her saying that she would never call him - unless she had a new heart. He knew then that his life was about to change. 

A few hours after the call, Dave’s father dropped him off at UMMC to receive his gift of life: a heart transplant. Dave was overcome with many different emotions, such as excitement to get his life back and sorrow at the knowledge that someone had to pass away for him to get his gift of life. However, he knew he could trust his doctors and medicine to support him in his transplant journey. 

Right before he went into the operating room, Dave sent his family and friends a selfie to let them know he was about to get his transplant. He remembers hearing the transplant surgeon say the new heart was “as perfect as a match could be.” It brought him great relief knowing that his transplant was meant to be.  

When Dave received his heart transplant, it was at the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic, making it difficult for his loved ones to visit him. He was only allowed one visitor a day, so he relied on video calls and FaceTime to stay in touch with friends and family. Even though COVID-19 brought its own set of challenges and uncertainties, Dave always had a support system he could rely on.  

Dave’s Second Chance in Life: Hitting New Milestones 

Prior to his heart transplant, Dave was attending the University of Baltimore, majoring in Digital Communication with a focus on media design and production. Because of his transplant, Dave had to postpone his education to focus on regaining strength and getting healthy.  

After recovering, one of his goals was to go back to school and finish his degree. And he did it! When Dave walked across the stage at his graduation, he recalled it being an emotional time for him. At one point, he didn’t think he would get to go back to school. With his new heart and thanks to his organ donor, he was able to do that and more. Organ donors make achieving milestones possible.  

Dave now works in the field he loves as a multimedia specialist for TMF Health Quality Institute, a place where he feels connected to a greater purpose. His advice for anyone waiting on a lifesaving transplant is: 

“Don’t give up hope. Always do the things your doctors are asking you to do and put the effort into getting healthy. The healthier you are going into your operation, the better you will be during the recovery.” -Dave McLaughlin 

Team Maryland: Giving Back to the Transplant Community 

Dave continues to focus on living a healthy lifestyle, playing pickleball and giving back to the Donate Life community he found through Infinite Legacy. Currently, Dave is part of Team Maryland, who competes in the Transplant Games of America. He first participated in the 2022 Transplant Games in San Diego. Dave went on to play again in the 2024 Transplant Games held in Birmingham and is looking forward to his third participation in the 2026 Transplant Games in Denver. Dave will be representing Team Maryland in volleyball, basketball, pickleball, mixed doubles pickleball, regular doubles pickleball and the 5K community run/walk. He is quite an athlete.  

Sports have been a way for Dave to connect with others and share his story. Through his local pickleball league, Dave shared his transplant story, which connected him to an organ donor family that he remains close with. Together, they wanted to be a part of a greater cause and decided to give back to the transplant community by becoming Infinite Legacy Donate Life Ambassadors. Dave continues to share his story to meet others impacted by organ, eye and tissue donation. His story has inspired others to overcome adversity and to focus on what truly matters. 

“Receiving my transplant has really, truly been the best thing that’s ever happened because I have my new lease on life and I’m an overall happier person. I have the opportunity to do something great.” -Dave McLaughlin 

Join Dave at Infinite Legacy’s 2025 Donate Life Fun Run 

Every year, Infinite Legacy hosts the Donate Life Fun Run to celebrate and honor the legacies of our organ, eye and tissue donors. Our donors and their families are at the heart of what we do as we raise awareness about organ, eye and tissue donation in the Maryland, Northern Virginia and Washington, DC communities.  

At the Fun Run, our donor families can find aftercare programs, resources and fun for all ages like a Zumba warmup, snacks and beverages, a merch booth and much more. Join Dave in honoring our donor heroes and registering for the Fun Run! We will see you at the Fun Run on Saturday, September 27, at Camden Yards Sports Complex in Baltimore (Lots B&C). Registration closes the day of the race at 8:45 a.m.  

Register Today