A father from Alaska missed a lifesaving opportunity to receive a new heart after his Alaska Airlines flight was canceled due to the historic U.S. winter storm.
Patrick Holland, who is battling congestive heart failure, was contacted by the University of Washington Medical Center on Dec. 22 saying he was next in line for a heart transplant.
The 56-year-old was given an 8-hour window to fly to Seattle for the heart transplant — rushing to the Fairbanks, AK airport for an overnight flight — according to CNN.
However, when he got to the airport, it was announced his flight was canceled due to weather. Alaska Airlines’ staff tried to get him on the next flight, but it had to be rerouted. Unfortunately for Holland, that meant he’d miss the 8-hour window … and the heart was given to someone else.
Holland spoke with King 5, saying, “I think I cried more that day than I have in my life, and exerted every emotion that I’ve never had. To get out of that funk, I immediately said, ‘Thank God, there’s going to be a family that is saving someone’s dad, saving someone’s brother, saving someone’s, someone’s uncle, you know.'”
Holland says he’ll remain in Seattle for a bit in hopes another heart will become available … one that will help him keep up with his wife of 17 years and his 7 kids.
