Maurice Gelinas Needs Your Help to Get a Heart Transplant
Sometimes life can be turned upside down in a moment. That moment came for Maurice on Jan. 4, 2012, when he suffered a massive heart attack. He was hospitalized for over a month and his heart was severely damaged, leaving him unable to continue his lawn care business and barely able to accomplish the smallest daily tasks. He was hospitalized numerous times over the next couple of years, as his condition continued to deteriorate. Then one day he was blessed to meet Dr. Cristiano Caldeira, a gifted cardiologist who introduced him to a new treatment for heart failure called a Left Ventricular Assist Device or LVAD. In December of 2013, Maurice became the very first patient in Charlotte County to be implanted with an LVAD and it has greatly improved his quality of life, allowing him to have the energy to do so much that he couldn’t before, including playing with his grandkids, visiting with friends and family, playing his guitar and working in the yard.
Updates (1)
December 11, 2016
Many of you may already know & I'm so sorry I haven't posted this yet, but the wonderful news is that Maurice received the blessing of a new heart on Sept. 23rd and he is doing fantastic. He's had no complications, thank God, and absolutely zero signs of rejection! Dr. Cristiano Caldeira, one of the top cardiac surgeons in the country who implanted Maurice's ventricular assist device, was also his transplant surgeon and we could not be more thankful for his outstanding skill and compassion, as well as that of Maurice's cardiologist, Dr. Benjamin Mackie, and all of the incredible members of the Tampa General transplant and VAD teams. They are all the cream of the crop. And of course, none of this would have been possible without the help of each one of you! We say a prayer of thanks every day for you and we certainly will never, ever forget how you have helped us come this far. The future is looking very bright these days and we owe it all to our Lord and to the amazing heroes he has placed in our lives- YOU!! We have been so humbled and astounded at the outpouring from literally all over the world and as far away as Japan! It's impossible to put into words our appreciation for your great generosity. We also want to send a special shout-out to all of our wonderful family members who have been supporting us in every way since day one & Dr. Mark Asperilla & Dr. David Kline, without whom we would not be celebrating today. And we'd like to ask you to please keep our donor family in your thoughts and prayers. Their gift to us is beyond comprehension and we will forever be in their debt. Thank you all so much and God bless you!!
Guestbook
June 15, 2020
i have been recieving phone calls asking for Maurice for a least 2 years. i believe his number must be close to mine or they are cross wired. please advise. Doug Day
Doug Day
January 28, 2017
Mo and Barbara,
So good to see you again today and "catch up" on the news in our lives. Prayers are answered; all we must do is ask! Sooo thankful for your family-this has been quite a journey, both smooth and Otherwise!
Friends forever-
Terry, Karen, Taylor and Renee
December 23, 2016
Could not be happier for the Gelinas family. Been quite a journey and you did it! What a Merry Christmas it is. With love and prayers always.
Sharon Perich
