Heart transplant teen spreads word about organ donation

A teenager from Southfield got worldwide attention after his heart transplant and now he wants to keep spreading the word about organ donation.

In mid-November and for the first time in months Trevor Sullivan can breathe.

"I feel amazing," he said on video recorded in the hospital.

The raw emotional moment revealed overwhelming joy and relief. Sharing this moment makes Trevor proud.

"I'm glad, it's doing the right thing and promoting organ donation," Trevor said. "That's what I wanted it to do."

And that's what Trevor wants to do. The Southfield teen went back at his old stomping grounds, Berkshire Middle School talking to kids about heart health and organ donation.

Trevor's story is frightening, at 14, in 8th grade, he seemed to have a bad cold. The truth was he had been suffering from severe heart failure from an undiagnosed heart defect. 

Doctors say he needed a heart transplant to survive.

"Basically my heart was so enlarged, it was pushing down on my left lung a lot and I couldn't breathe good," Trevor said. "I had a tough time breathing."

Until the moment at Mott Children's Hospital in Ann Arbor. Trevor left that hospital room with a donated heart and a huge scar.

Trevor breathes better every day and feels the only way he can begin to say thank you is to share his story.

"It's promoting organ donation, we've seen the outcome of it," Trevor said. "People are commenting on the video saying (they are signing up every day). We are glad this is happening it is going to save a lot of lives hopefully."

February is the month we focus on your heart health.

For more information CLICK HERE for Gift of Life Michigan and CLICK HERE for a link to the American Heart Association.