Famous Dad

Transplant recipient and his family give back for gift of life

By Wendy Leung, Staff Writer for the Daily Bulletin
Article Created: 12/27/2007 07:12:39 AM PST


When the Valtier family watches TV in the living room of their Rancho Cucamonga home, a small figurine of Tinman from the "Wizard of Oz" perched on top of their entertainment system watches back.
The once heartless friend of Dorothy is a daily reminder of Henry Valtier's second chance at life.

Of course Valtier, 57, doesn't need much reminding of his bout with congestive heart failure, which placed him in the hospital in 2006 in need of a heart transplant. An experience teetering on the brink of death doesn't escape the memory easily.

As he was wheeled away to the operating table, Valtier remembered looking down the hallway at his wife and three children.

"I thought, this could be the last look," he said.

It wasn't.

Valtier's transplant was successful thanks to the doctors and the 23-year-old donor whom he never met. He hopes to someday meet the family of his donor. Last year, he wrote a letter to the family through the organization Donate Life and hopes to hear from them in the future.

"Not a day goes by when we don't think of the young man," said Valtier's wife, Sandy.

She called the donor's family her "heroes."

While Donate Life keeps donor and recipient information private, it does the job of delivering letters.

Lisa Bernfeld of Donate Life said it can take a few weeks or a few years before the other party responds. Sometimes the exchanges are a single letter. Other times the two parties become as close as family.

This month, the Valtier family helped with the Donate Life Rose Parade float. Henry Valtier said it was an emotional experience seeing relatives of donors decorate the float. In the weeks leading to the Pasadena parade, these relatives work on floral portraits of the loved ones they lost. The portraits will be featured on the float.

Members of the Valtier family are now all registered organ donors.

Henry Valtier now celebrates July 5, the day of his heart surgery, like a second birthday. Relatives give him a cake and heart-shaped balloons and the house looks like Valentine's Day in the midst of summer.

"I don't know whether to make a big deal out of my biological birthday anymore," he said.

wendy.leung@dailybulletin.com

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Merry Christmas / Happy New years

Still trying to fix my camera upload to the computer so I can share new pics. In the meantime suffer. We hope Christmas brought lots of family time togetherness and love to everyone. Annie and I enjoyed ours with the family. Stressful but always worth spending quality family time for. New years will either be celebrated with friends or with parents. Annie and I are determined to lose weight. We've been packing it on since we got married even though everyone says we haven't.

Annie is enjoying her last few days of vacation. She goes back to work on Wednesday. Don't mention it around her though cause she gets very sad. I'm enjoying my break still. Go back on the 7th. Sad day that will be. Miss the students though...well some of them. Annie and I have had lots of time to enjoy each others company. We have fun! I'll miss my best friend when she goes back to work, even though she says I'll be happy. Take care. Enjoy the holidays.

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Donate Life - Rose Parade float decoration

I have a new appreciation for the people who work really hard every year in designing and decorating the beautiful floats we see every year in the Rose Parade. On December 8th, my Dad, my Mom, Annie and I participated in decorating the float for Donate Life. The day was supper fun with many memories. Annie wants a pig. I know I never want to see a Lentil bean again. It was supper cold in there. One hot dog was not enough. My Dad was interviewed by Channel 22 (Spanish station)! I can't wait for January 1st and see my hard work on T.V. Would I do next year? Yes!

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Coachella Annie-versary!

While my dad and the rest of the fam were out participating in the run/walk for donors, Annie and I were off to Indio, CA for Coachella. After a two year hiatus, Annie and I were returning and celebrating our 1 year Anniversary (April 29) at the same time.
Since Coachella is always held on the last weekend of April, it looks like we'll be celebrating our anniversary at Coachella for years to come.

Highlights for me during the three day fest were Arcade Fire, Rodrigo y Gabriella, LCD soundsystem, the Rapture, and Travis. There were countless other great moments from other bands new and old, but these seem to stand out.

I can't believe a year has flown by and I have yet to find out what it takes to be the perfect husband. Friends and family say it takes a while to find our groove, but continuing to love each other is one way to find it. I love Annie so much and I thank her for being patient, yet again, while I try to finish grad school. Although our lives are busy beyond belief, I want Annie to know I'm never too busy to think about her and love her.

We so were busy this whole weekend running around from stage to stage and from tent to tent, that little time was left to celebrate us. We ended our anniversary on Monday with a nice romantic lunch in Palm Springs and it gave me time to stare at Annie and see how beautiful she is and how special she is to have as a wife. I pray this next year as husband and wife to be filled with many blessings. Maybe a new home? Maybe a family? I can't wait! I love you Annie.

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My celebrity Dad

Thousands gather for donors event
Record crowd at 5th annual Donate Life Walk made up of many individuals touched by organ transplantation.

By ERIC CARPENTER
The Orange County Register

FULLERTON - About 5,000 runners and walkers formed a massive crowd at the starting line to the 5th annual Donate Life Walk on Saturday at Cal State Fullerton – by far the largest attendance in the event's history.
They came for a common cause – to spread the word about the dire need for more organ and tissue donors.
But among the crowd were countless personal stories of participants who had their own reasons for coming.
Some wore T-shirts with the image of a loved one who had died, but also gave life to others through organ donation. Others were organ recipients who wanted to show off their health and celebrate a second chance at life.
"This wouldn't have been possible for me a year ago, I couldn't have walked a few feet," said Henry Valtier, 56, who received a heart transplant last July. He walked with about 20 friends and family members, carrying a small Tin Man like the character that travels to the Wizard of Oz in search of a heart.
"I've been given another chance," Valtier said, "and I want others to see what's possible."
The event began in 2003 with several hundred people. This year, council members representing 11 Orange County cities participated. And it has also become a more regional event with about 60 percent of its participants from outside the county.

On a side note, Annie and I were trying to think of a gift for my dad when he got out of the hospital. While walking around Citywalk the idea hit Annie. A Tin Man from Wizard of Oz! It was perfect. He wanted a heart, my dad wanted a heart. He finally got a heart, my dad finally got a heart! Good times!

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Almost 1 year!

I can't believe Annie and I are quickly appoaching one year. I can't believe so much time has flown by since my last post. Our lives have been busy since August. Annie's job is becoming more demanding and stress is a frequent visitor in her life. School is kicking my butt more than ever, with it becoming more demanding of time and energy. Work is moving right along and doesn't seem to stop. My class is full of character (that's a good thing I think?) and I hate the days I'm away from them. Needless to say, with all this going on in our lives, little time is left to enjoy our marriage. I feel horrible that I've led Annie into my world of work and school. Free time is hard to come by these days and this obviously takes a toll on our marriage. Our love for each other keeps us going though and her support and love keeps me going through work and school.

So how is it that I have free time right now you ask? Easy, I'm on spring break from school! Also looking forward to my spring break from work.

Recently I was asked to make a sacrafice for a friend who was attending a retreat. In my letter to him I expressed my willingness to put aside my work and spend more time with Annie. It seems silly to have to say that, but sadly, it's the truth. I've since made a better effort towards showing Annie I think about her night and day and loving her the way she deserves to be loved. The quarter in school appears to be a tough one requiring lots of fieldwork hours, but I hope things find a way to work out and time with my wife is not compromised.

Annie keeps telling me it's all about time management. Now if I can just find time to figure it out...

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