Meet Andrew Jones who Had His Heart In A Bag For Years

Meet Andrew Jones who Had His Heart In A Bag For Years

Andrew Jones, 26, is a professional body builder, and the curator of AJFitness. A few years ago, Jones was on a run and started having trouble breathing. Doctors diagnosed Jones with Cardiomyopathy.

The Mayo Clinic defines Cardiomyopathy as “the condition where the heart muscle is abnormal. It makes it harder for your heart to pump and deliver blood to the rest of your body.” The seemingly unfair question everyone in the community was asking, is how does something so severe, happen to someone at the peak of bodily excellence? Jones admits that, “when I was diagnosed I was in denial because it didn’t make sense that someone who takes care of their body would contract such a lethal disease.”

Jones had to undergo multiple procedures and carry an LVAD, a left ventricular assist device. Stanford Health Care defines this as “a battery-operated, mechanical pump which then helps the left ventricle pump blood to the rest of the body,” and is implanted in patients that are at end-stage heart failure. Jones’ medical device was from Heartware/Medtronic.

Jones returned to regular work outs, but now had to carry his device in a backpack. He needed to make sure to charge it, and essentially had to carry a ‘mechanical heart’ around at all times. Becoming an inspiration to so many, Jones created the Foundation, Hearts At Large.

Jones started Hearts At Large because, “I knew my condition was bad, but I also recognized how blessed I am. There are others who don’t have the support like I do. So, I saw that I was still healthy enough to contribute, so that’s why I started the Hearts At Large Foundation.” Jones speaks at schools, institutions, and was recently invited to share his story at the Medtronic Holiday Program. Jones has been featured in, Men’s Health, The Doctors, and become a national and international social media sensation.

Andrew received a call from the hospital that a heart was available and he was in surgery just a few hours later. His surgery lasted 8 hours and he was hospitalized for just over 2 weeks as he recovered. He is now required to take medications for the rest of his life to ensure his body does not reject his new organ.

Andrew now has a working heart! Here’s his message to all those following him:

“1 YEAR, 3 open heart surgeries, 3,200 pills, and endless doctor visits….My new heart has given me another year of life. It was at 3:30 am when I was wheeled into the operating room to receive a gift. An opportunity that only a few will ever experience. Thank you all to everyone who has shown massive support for me and my efforts to raise awareness for organ donation. By having a second chance at life, you learn to devote your time to doing the same for others. Let this also serve as a reminder that we don’t know where we will be a year from now. So take it all in while you can. Your next few moments are never guaranteed. I love you all!”