On a softball field in Trenton, N.S., Donna Nugent heard her son鈥檚 heartbeat for the first time in more than a year.
Nugent's 23-year-old son, Michael Collier, had died in a car accident in September 2018. Two days after Collier died, teenager Jacob Basque was rushed to hospital with an irregular heartbeat, in desperate need of an emergency heart transplant.
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Basque now holds Collier鈥檚 heart in his chest, and at a charity softball match this Sunday, Nugent finally met the boy whose life had been saved by her son鈥檚 heart.
As soon as she registered the sound of the heartbeat, she was instantly overcome with emotion, but when she spoke to 麻豆传媒 Atlantic afterwards, she said the tears came from gratitude, not sadness.
鈥淚 feel very blessed,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 finally got to meet Jacob. My heart feels warm right now. Very warm. 鈥�
It was a sentiment Basque echoed, calling the meeting 鈥渦nbelieveable.
鈥�(I鈥檓) just feeling really grateful,鈥� he said, adding that the charity event helped him gain a better understanding of the man whose heart he now carries with him.
鈥淐oming out here today ... you could see how much people really loved (Collier) and cared about him.鈥�
The meeting was held at the annual Dawson鈥檚 Christmas Wish Softball Tournament, which was started seven years ago by now 15-year-old Dawson MacKay and his father Freddie.
鈥淚t makes everybody feel better, when you help somebody and you give to others,鈥� said MacKay. 鈥淚t always comes back in return.鈥�
This year鈥檚 tournament was dedicated to the memory of Collier, which was fitting in Nugent鈥檚 eyes.
鈥淓very year that they鈥檇 have this tournament, me and Michael would come down and watch,鈥� she said.
She added that her son was 鈥渧ery giving.鈥�
Basque鈥檚 is not the only life to have been saved by Collier. His liver and pancreas were also transplanted into other patients who needed them.
鈥淲hen he gave his organs -- that alone right there, the gift of life -- that is what Michael would want,鈥� Nugent said.
The softball tournament was projected to raise around $3,000, which will go towards local Christmas gifts, food and other amenities for local families in need.
Basque and Nugent embraced on the field after she listened to his heartbeat.
Basque said recovery from the transplant has been 鈥渢ough,鈥� but that he鈥檚 鈥渇inally playing hockey,鈥� again, making sure not to waste the new lease on life that Collier鈥檚 heart has given him.
With a report from 麻豆传媒 Atlantic's Allan April
