Mackenzie Reese’s Beautiful Essay Inspired by Father’s Heart Transplant

Mackenzie Reese, a catcher and corner-infielder committed to the University of Pittsburgh, is pictured above with her father, Duane Reese. The duo were on a flight to Texas for a softball tournament, and though her father is smiling, Mackenzie shared that he was not feeling well at the time this was taken. The Reese family discovered that Duane had developed a heart condition and would need to have a transplant performed.

The senior at Hampton Township High School, located in Allison Park, Pennsylvania, used the rollercoaster of emotions she felt from first finding out about her father’s illness, to the day the family discovered that a heart had been found for his transplant, to create the beautiful and moving essay that is written below.

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The Heartbeat

No Pulse

“Come on don’t worry, I’m fine, nothing will happen.” – Duane Reese

Just sitting at the kitchen table eating my breakfast when my dad comes in all dressed to go to work.

“Where are you going dad?” I said with fear and anxiety.

“I’m going to work. Why, what’s up?” my dad said in reply.

“Why? You shouldn’t be going back already. Dad, you can’t get hurt. It’s too dangerous for you to go back already,” I said with a worried voice.

“Come on don’t worry, I’m fine, nothing will happen,” he said with reassurance while closing the front door.

*****

July 9, 2022

Sitting in the waiting room. No Information. For all we knew, he was gone.

Just sitting there waiting was making my family and me terrified.

We were all just wanting to know what was going on, if he was okay, if everything was going alright, and if the heart was a match for him.

I had so many questions, but the doctors had no answers. They wouldn’t tell us anything, not even if the surgery was going well.

I mean, if he does pass, what were the last words he said to me? What were his last words in general? Was there something he was thinking about while he was on the table?

I felt my head rushing and I felt like I was drowning in thoughts. Memories played back in my head like a recording.

Why now? Why him? Why couldn’t the surgeons give us the answer faster and he would be alive.

I mean, who was going to walk me down the aisle? Who’s going to tell me that the boy I like is bad and threatens to beat him up?

He has so much more to teach me and he has to stay alive because he’s my best friend.

Dad, you have to stay alive. I can’t lose you. You can’t leave without saying goodbye. You can’t leave me alone when we have so much left to do together.

Who is going to hold me when I have another heartbreak? You will always be there because you aren’t leaving. I won’t let you.

Just when all this was happening, I had to leave while he was in the middle of his surgery to get on a plane.

How could I leave him? He told me he wouldn’t let his problems get in the way of my dreams, but I didn’t even care about my dreams. I wasn’t going to think about my dreams if he wasn’t going to be able to witness them with me. I would have stayed home to know if I had the choice but I didn’t. I had to leave to play the sport both him and I love.

I knew if I stayed behind, he would be upset with himself and I couldn’t let that happen. If he was awake he would want me to leave so that’s what I did. I had to win for him. Even if I didn’t and I tried my hardest he would be proud of me.

Even though I was hurting, I had to pull my broken heart back together because he wasn’t there to do that this time. Now it’s my time to mend his heart back together.

Then I heard a snapping. I inhaled deeply. What a terrible nightmare.

*****

His Story

“You aren’t that sick. You probably just have a cold. Grow up Duane!” – Rebecca Reese

Just getting off the school bus. I’m walking to my house. I hear the car start. Thoughts start to fill my head.

Do I have a doctor’s appointment? Is my mom going to the grocery store? Does Kendall have softball? Do I have softball?

No.. I was wrong. My dad is sitting in the car with his heart binder. I walk over to ask him where he is going.

“Hey dad, you okay?” I wondered.

“Yeah, I’m good bub! I’m just going to the hospital,” he replied.

“The hospital!” I said while cutting him off.

“Kenzie calm down. I’m just going for my check up. You know I go every week for my blood, test, and updates, ” he said with a demanding voice.

“I know dad, but still. I hate when you say you are going to the hospital. Sometimes it’s really bad. Sometimes you stay for a couple days because you don’t feel good,” I said, concerned.

“Kenz, I got to go, but I’ll be okay. I promise you that,” he said confidently.

Then, just like that, when he started to drive away it all hit me.

What if he doesn’t come back? What if he goes to the hospital and finds out something is wrong?

*****

January 3, 2022

This day is when my dad got an email telling him that he has Covid-19. After he found out that he was sick he stayed in his room for about two weeks because he didn’t want anyone else to get really sick. Even though he stayed away from my whole family he wasn’t getting any better. He tried taking medicine, eating soup, etc. He was trying so hard to get better but nothing was working.

After waiting a few days my mom decided to take him to the hospital. When he got there, the doctors figured out he had pneumonia and fluid in his lungs.

The doctors treated him for pneumonia, but that wasn’t working either. They were confused because all his tests were coming back normal and nothing was wrong besides the fluid. But then the doctor’s figured out that the fluid in his lungs caused many complications with his blood. When his blood test came back they told him that he has blood clots in his lungs with fluid still.

When my family and I were finding out all what was going on I was wondering if we would all take a break from work, school, softball, just everything for him. Just sitting in his room waiting and wanting him to get better. Watching all the doctors and nurses coming in and out of his room. Waiting for them to tell us that he is going to get better and he gets home. But no. They had nothing. The doctors didn’t know what was going on. They were just as confused as we were.

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January 16 , 2022

Decline

“It’s happening!!” – Rebecca Reese

A few weeks go past and nothing has happened… He hasn’t gotten better.. Tests aren’t improving… The doctors still don’t know what’s going on. His breathing has gotten worse by the minute. After many and many tests on his blood, blood pressure, heartbeat, EKG, so many more. When his EKG test work came back the doctors came in…

“Mr. Reese, we found out what’s wrong,” the doctor said with concern.

“What is it Doc?” my father said with a worried tone.

“Your heart. It’s failing,” the doctor said with contort.

“What do you mean it’s failing?” My dad said with a scared look.

“It means that your heart is giving out. We will put you on the heart transplant list, but there’s no guarantee you’ll get a heart right away. It will take a few months to find you one,” the doctor told him.

Right after the doctor said that to him, he started to cry. He was heartbroken. He was worried. He didn’t know what to say or even think. My father thought he was going to die.

All he wanted to do was be there for my siblings and I. He knew when he told us it was going to crush us. My siblings and I came to a decision that no matter how hard it is for us we wouldn’t let our dad see that. We wanted him to be strong and not worry. All we wanted was for him to get a heart and get better.

He had to get many tests done before he got put on the list. All to make sure there wasn’t any underlying health issues that would prevent his body from accepting the new heart. Thankfully, he passed all the tests, got on the list and was going to go home in a few days. My father knew he wouldn’t be able to live the life he wanted. He would have to live it scared and careful. The doctors sent him home with a bunch of medicine and a 24 hour IV drip in him just so he could live outside the hospital. The IV drip was what was keeping his heart beating and keeping him alive. Without that, he wouldn’t be here right now. While he was out of the hospital my mom was the only one working, so we had money problems and I was traveling. So the only people that were home to watch him were my siblings, who have work, and are young.

I was gone almost every week due to softball and while I was gone I was constantly worried about him. Almost everyday I would cry a little just because I was so worried and scared for him. I was so scared because not only is he my dad, but he’s my best friend too. I wouldn’t be who I am without him. He showed me life. He showed me love. He showed me to be a better person. Without him I would be nobody.

*****

July 8, 2022

The day we got the call.

“Hey mom,” I said when she walked in the door.

“Hi honey, how was your day?” she said in reply.

“It was okay. I just have been worried about dad and him still being on the list,” I told her.

“You know what Kenz. He’s going to be okay. I just got the call a few minutes ago about how they just found him a heart. Honey, he’s going to be okay.” she told me with teary eyes.

When my mom said those words all I could do was run and give her the biggest hug. After we hugged for a few minutes we ran to the car and headed right to the hospital. On the way I called everyone. She called my brother, my sisters, aunts and uncles. Everyone.

We got to the hospital around 9:30 p.m. When we got to his room, he was only allowed his kids and his wife in the room. While we were in the room, all we could do was hug him and just cry. That was the first time I saw my brother cry. That’s when I knew it was happening. I was shocked that they found one for him.

That moment when we knew it was happening, we were all happy; he was going to live!

One day he will walk me down the aisle and meet his grandkids. I am not going to lose my best friend!

— Mackenzie Reese, Class of 2024, University of Pittsburgh commit

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— Regan Weekly/Extra Inning Softball