Creating a community of hope and support

Family has always been at the heart of Scott Morgan’s life — long before the surgeries, the setbacks and the second chance he would one day receive. Raised in Barstow in a family of teachers and now a proud father of four and grandfather of eleven, Scott says his family is the reason he fought through every challenge.

When Scott’s health declined, and he could no longer run his tuxedo business, it was his son who stepped in without hesitation. And when Scott faced the uncertainty of advanced heart failure, it was his wife, children and large circle of loved ones who kept him grounded, hopeful and determined. Their support, he says, made every step of his journey possible.

Finding hope at Sharp Memorial Hospital

In February 2013, Scott received a left ventricular assist device (LVAD) at Sharp Memorial Hospital. The LVAD gave him almost three years of renewed strength and time to wait for a donor heart.

Over two years later, in the fall of 2015, Scott got the call that changed everything — a heart was ready for him. The transplant surgery was successful, but recovery was challenging. He spent weeks in the hospital and faced complications, including acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS).

Through it all, Scott says the care team treated him like family and guided him every step of the way. “At Sharp, I feel like I’m home,” he says. “The nurses weren’t just caregivers; they were friends.”

Life after transplant

Today, more than 10 years later, Scott is thriving. He’s back to golfing, traveling and spending time with his family. He also volunteers as an ambassador for LVAD and transplant patients, visiting Sharp Memorial to offer encouragement and share his experience.

“Scott’s journey reminds us that the heart we give is only the beginning”, says Kristi Ortiz, RN, manager of the Cardiac Transplant and Heart Failure Program at Sharp Memorial. “It’s what patients like him do with their second chance that inspires us every day.”

Scott’s experience moved him to create Scott’s LVAD Foundation, a nonprofit that supports LVAD and transplant patients at Sharp Memorial. The foundation began with a simple idea during his hospital stay and quickly grew into a lifeline for patients and families.

Within six months of his transplant, Scott and his family hosted their first golf tournament fundraiser. Since then, the foundation has organized annual events, some drawing hundreds of participants, to raise funds and awareness.

The foundation provides practical and emotional support, including medical supplies and battery-carrying shirts for LVAD patients, as well as gas cards, hotel stays and emergency travel for transplant families. Scott recalls one instance when they flew a patient’s mother from Hawaii so she could be with her son before he passed.

“We try to give back as much as we can,” he says. “I remember how expensive it was for my family when I was in the hospital for months.”

A Life Fully Returned

Today, Scott sees every round of golf, every family gathering and every visit with a patient as a reminder of the life he nearly lost — and the community that helped him reclaim it. Guided by family, faith and the unwavering support of the Sharp team he now calls his own, he pays that gift forward with purpose.

With each patient he mentors and every family his foundation supports, Scott continues to honor the gift he was given. He’s proving that a second chance at life can become a lifeline for many others.

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