Robert Gearhart

A little about me
Known to my friends and family as Bob; I was born at a very young age on April 3, 1955, the youngest of 3 children. With my 2 older sisters, Paula & Phyllis, we spent our younger years growing up on a farm in Richboro, Pa. When the farm closed our father took a job as a boiler maintenance / night watchman for a local rose grower in Holland, Pa.
My younger years were typical, in the summers I enjoyed playing baseball and swimming. I played in our local little league and into the Babe Ruth league.
As an avid swimmer I was on my high school swim team all four years.
I graduated from Council Rock High School in 1973 and went right into the work force getting a job at the Bucks County Police Communications Center. I also joined the Northampton Twp. Volunteer Fire Company where I served for 5 years.
I was first married in 1976. Married for 28 years we had 4 great children. All boys, Robert Jr., Matthew, Timothy & Daniel. I now also have 4 wonderful grandchildren, 2 boys, Brandon & Damien and 2 girls, Liella & Sage. I divorced in 2004.
I remarried in September, 2009 to Lynette (Hinkle) Klipple and now live with her and our 4 dogs Majik, Doodles,Buddy and the newest addition, Xena.
Through all those years my career changed from police dispatcher to eventually being a tour bus driver. As a tour bus driver I traveled all around the U.S. & Canada and loved every minute of the job, traveling and meeting great people. I drove bus for 23 years until my health took me to an early retirement.
Still wanting to serve my community I am an active member of the Se-Wy-Co Volunteer Fire Company of Lower Saucon Twp.

My Health
My condition is attributed to genetics as my father, his mother and his brother all suffered and eventually died due to heart disease.
At the age of 39 I unknowingly suffered my first heart attack. In January of 1998 at the age of 42 I had my second heart attack. At that time they performed open heart surgery where they completed 6 bypass graphs. I have since had two more heart attacks the latest being on February 3, 2009. At that time I was told that nothing could be done with the blockages because they were too close to the heart, they could not remove them or bypass them. I spent several days in the I.C.U. and several more in the heart care unit. In early April of 2009, seeking a second opinion at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania the diagnosis was confirmed and I was told that there was nothing more that could be done medically. My only hope of a long happy life would be with a heart transplant.
To make matters more interesting, in February of 2010 I was found on our laundry room floor unconscious and not breathing. Rushed to the hospital they took me to surgery where they implanted an I.C.D. A few months later I was evaluated and my case was submitted to the transplant committee for review. I was accepted on the transplant list on July 6, 2010.
The advancement of medical technology offers me this opportunity that others in my family did not have.

**UPDATE**

On August 4, 2011 I received my new heart.
After a few complications I am recovering very well
Thanks to a great staff at H.U.P.

My family and friends are raising money to pay for uninsured medical expenses associated with transplantation.

I have chosen to fundraise with HelpHOPELive – The Leader in Fundraising Assistance and Support for Transplant and Catastrophic Injury in part because HelpHOPELive provides both tax-deductibility and fiscal accountability to contributors. Contributors can be sure that funds contributed will be used only to pay or reimburse medically-related expenses. To make a contribution to this fundraising campaign:

Make checks payable to:
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Note in memo section:
In Honor of Robert Gearhart

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Radnor, PA 19087

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