Thursday September 26, 2013 5:02 PM
UPDATED: Thursday September 26, 2013 5:27 PM
COLUMBUS, Ohio – A heart transplant recipient celebrated 25 years of health on Thursday.
Doctors told Ryan Zinn that a virus damaged his heart and he only had six months to live.
That was at age 14.
Nine months later, he received a heart transplant after being on the National Transplant Waiting List for only 17 days.
Since the transplant, Zinn graduated from Ohio State University with two engineering degrees.
He competed in the World Transplant Games and just married the love of his life, Marie.
Zinn says he wouldn’t be here today if it wasn’t for his donor.
“Everything means more because you appreciate what you nearly lost,” Zinn said.
He says being a part of the transplant community is something he hopes no one else has to experience.
“But I’m thankful every day for having it.”
In 1991, when Zinn was a freshman at OSU, he began volunteering at Lifeline of Ohio.
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