Colleen’s Story

 Colleen was accepted into many universities with academic scholarships, but chose Illinois Wesleyan, as it was a few hours from Chicago where all her doctors were.

October, 2012, Colleen just started her sophomore year at Illinois Wesleyan. She moved into her sorority house, Alpha Gamma Delta. She was extremely excited. But she felt very sick. Extreme fatigue. She did not have the strength to make it down the hallway of her house, let alone strength to make it to classes. To my horror, she drove herself to Lurie Children’s in Chicago. She called me halfway there to let me know she was on her way, and I should meet her there. We both knew this was going to be bad news. Colleen had an emergency cardiac catheterization and other tests. The results showed Colleen developed transplant coronary heart disease. Her vessels had thinned to near nothing. Her only option was a second heart transplant.

And so started our three-month wait. Of course, we had no idea how long the wait would be. Colleen spent her 20th birthday in the hospital. For Halloween she dressed up as the steroid Prednisone to the delight of nurses and doctors who stopped by her room just to see this patient with such a huge personality and positivism.

Colleen’s father drove out to the hospital every night, even with work. Her brothers spent every weekend at the hospital during this wait, even with school. Together we watched Bears games and ordered food from fabulous Chicago restaurants. Favorite games were Yahtzee and Asteroids, which Colleen argued we should “let her win!” We celebrated Thanksgiving in the empty cafeteria with another family from the cardiac floor. Colleen celebrated holidays by totally decorating her room. For Christmas we had a 7’ Christmas tree filled with ornaments made or bought from family and friends.

Colleen wanted to do a Toy Drive for the kids in the hospital over Christmas, as she had spent a few Christmases there and knew how sad it could be. She collected many toys through social media. Her brothers, as supportive as ever of Colleen’s plans, pushed her in a wheelchair to deliver toys on Christmas day to children on the cardiac and cancer floors. We spent Christmas and New Year’s Eve in our “Michigan Avenue corner penthouse,” as she and I called it, across from Tiffany & Co.

Her entire wait, Colleen was always patient and positive. Always polite to those who cared for her. Even when there was bad news, or tough days, Colleen found strength in her weakness. 

On January 16, 2013, we got the news. Colleen’s heart was here. Colleen immediately asked all to pray for the donor’s family, always aware of the unimaginable pain they were going through at that time. Colleen never forgot their gift or took it for granted. We were excited and frightened at the same time. Colleen was happy the day had finally come. It had been a long three months. She was strong, positive, and simply amazing. I will never forget saying goodbye to her at the elevator as they took her to surgery.

Colleen had many ups and a whole lot of downs, but finally on February 6, 2013, Colleen came home. She did May term classes over the summer at Illinois Wesleyan. She overloaded in the fall to try to catch up after missing her sophomore year. All the follow-up catheterizations, and clinic visits took a toll though. Colleen ultimately came home and finished her education at North Central College. She graduated in May of 2016. A heart transplant was not going to stop this warrior from getting her degree.

Colleen had many jobs after graduation. She even moved to San Francisco for a year to try something different. But, she knew Chicago was where she wanted to be. It was home. She returned to the amazing company, G2, which was her last place of employment. Colleen lived her life as if every day was a gift. She battled her health tirelessly with never a single day taken for granted. Colleen pushed herself and enjoyed awesome trips to Europe and Thailand. With all three hearts, she only expressed gratitude for the opportunity to live. Always thanking and thinking of the donor families. Complaining was never an option. Instead, Colleen was selfless in every sense of the word. If anyone needed anything, she was there to offer a helping hand with an open heart.

In December, 2019, Colleen was hospitalized for multiple fainting spells. After another cardiac catheterization and numerous tests, it was confirmed. Colleen had again developed transplant coronary artery disease. We were hoping to get 10-12 years from this heart, but that was not to be. Colleen came back home and moved back in with us. Colleen and her father loved to cook many dinners side by side. She and I made homemade pasta and sauce every week, inspired by our incredible mother/daughter trip to Italy. Her brothers came home every weekend to eat together and play games, which she complained they did not let her win!

In January, 2020, another catheterization found a severe blockage in her main artery. A stent was put in. Later a defibrillator/pacemaker was implanted to protect Colleen should a cardiac episode occur.

In March, Colleen could no longer breathe while laying down. There were many blood tests, telemedicine visits, and a few in person clinic visits.

On July 27, 2020, Colleen could not fight anymore. There is not a person I know who could have fought so fiercely.

I cannot find words to express how proud I am of the woman Colleen became. Her dad and I were honored to call her daughter. Colleen and I were extraordinarily close, and she was my best friend. We can all learn how to be better people from the example Colleen set. Even having an able body to walk up a flight of stairs without tiring was something she would have given anything for towards the end of her life. Colleen dedicated her life to service by being a part of countless charities and foundations.

Now Colleen is no longer here with us on Earth. She is resolved from her physical limitations. Now her soul is infinite and free. She embraces her loved ones with the courage and strength to carry on without her. Although not physically, she reminds us she IS here alongside us. You can’t see the wind, but that doesn’t mean you can’t feel it. The end was only a new adventure for our brave Colleen. Maybe there is comfort in knowing that this grief hurts us in losing her; but, this grief is the price of delivering Colleen’s soul from suffering and entrapment of a weak physical body to a place of ultimate peace. We know Colleen is steadfast in some new mission...she is amazed and grateful for the new journey she is on...and is hardly stuck in the past. She probably laughs her one of a kind laugh. She is moving forward with plans we can only imagine. I will honor her and carry on as she would beg me to. She would implore us to live life to our fulfillment. Read a book or jump out of a plane. Do what brings you joy. Do it with gratitude and humility, as she would.

daughter. sister. granddaughter. niece. cousin. friend. classmate. co-worker. volunteer. activist. hero.

Read more about Colleen’s story in her own words at her Caring Bridge page by clicking here.