Man bikes 2,600 miles to hear dead daughter’s heartbeat in donor recipient

Luther Vandross was outed as gay after his death.

Bill Conner of Madison, Wisconsin, biked 2,600 miles across the country to hear his dead daughter’s heartbeat in a donor recipient.

His daughter, Abbey, was only 20 years old when she died suddenly while on vacation in Cancun, Mexico, in January.

“On her winter break with her brother … they both were found unconscious, face down in chest deep water in the resort’s pool,” Conner wrote on his GoFundMe page. “Unfortunately, Abigail didn’t make it even after medical intervention.”

While his son survived, Abbey did not. However, she was listed as an organ donor, and there were four matches lined up for organs.

— Maryland Teen dances from hospital bed days after heart transplant — 

“The loss of my daughter’s life is obviously beyond tragic. However, it has allowed four males from the ages of 20-60 to live because Abigail was an organ donor,” Conner wrote. “Abigail’s eyes and tissues were also used which means even more people are living better lives with her donations.”

After Abbey’s death, Conner decided to bike to Ft. Lauderdale’s Broward Health Medical Center, which he said “took exceptional care of my daughter and prepared her to donate her organs.”

The bike ride also allowed him to meet 21-year-old Loumonth Jack Jr, who had suffered a sudden heart attack and whose life was saved by Abbey’s heart. Conner was able to see Jack and held a stethoscope to his chest to hear his daughter’s heartbeat.

“She saved me and I can’t repay her. I wish I could but I can’t. All I can do is send my love to her family,” Jack said.

Conner will finish out his journey in Florida at Abbey’s final resting place.

You can follow his journey at this link.

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