Snapshot NY: Heart transplant recipient John Damato taking advantage of new chance at life to follow MMA dreams
FORT LEE, N.J. -- February is Heart Health Month. Heart disease is the number one cause of death worldwide, but those affected do have a lifeline -- the transplant.
One recipient is the focus of this week's Snapshot New York with Steve Overmyer.
"I've never been happier. Never been more confident. This has taught me to actually love myself," John Damato said. "I needed this."
Damato found MMA fighting, and for the past year, he's spent six to eight hours a day at the Fight Lab in Fort Lee, home for his rebirth.
"I was born with a really really rare heart defect called corrected transposition of the great vessels. The ventricles are switched," he said.
For most of his life, it wasn't a concern, until a test at the age of 14.
"They said that I was in 90% heart failure," Damato said.
For two years, he waited for a new heart. His life goal at the time was simple.
"I just want to be a kid again. I just wanted to live a normal life. That's all I wanted to do," he said.
A heart did become available just as his was running out of heartbeats.
"Twenty-one kids die a day waiting. Double that amount of adults," Damato said. "It's sad to see how many people die waiting. I was going to be one of those statistics. I had a week left, they said."
Dr. Sumeet Mitter is Damato's cardiologist at Mt. Sinai Hospital.
"Along with him becoming more physically active and healthy, it's helped his self-esteem, his confidence in himself. He can now then hopefully inspire others," Mitter said.
Damato recently had his 10-year check-up. All is well for a man who a decade ago opened his eyes to a new life.
"I was able to take a deep breath for the first time, you know?" Damato said. "I started crying, you know? I'm like, 'This is what it's supposed to feel like?'"
For every life saved, there's an organ donor who lost theirs. His name was Jonah King, from North Carolina.
When Damato reached out, the Kings welcomed him with open arms.
"The stories I've heard of him, how incredible of a human being he was, it would be disrespectful for me not to try to save and help as many lives as I can with what I'm going to do," he said.
He's currently teaching kids the art of jujutsu.
"I can't keep a smile away right now. Seeing them grow into the people that they're becoming is the most rewarding thing I've ever done in my entire life," Damato said.
That's saying a lot concerning the journey he's been on.
As a heart transplant recipient, he's experienced unimaginable pain. Now, he's dishing it out.
"I had a heart transplant, yeah, but what does that mean, you know? Why can't I live life? Why can't I go after my dream?" Damato said.
His dream is to become a professional fighter. One year ago, he began a vigorous training program, up to eight hours every single day.
After his heart transplant, he gained 100 pounds. He's lost nearly all of it.
Damato has won 10 of his 12 fights, most recently taking the gold medal in his class at a national event in Pennsylvania.
"I ran off the mat and hugged my team. I mean, that was, it's like I said, it's like, you fight alone but everyone helps you get to that point. I cried a little bit, you know, 'cause of all that hard work," he said.
A man who's already defied the odds knows better than anyone, nothing worth earning is easy.
"I'm gonna leave everything out there 'cause you only go around one time," Damato said. "I wanna have no what-ifs and be like, I did all of that."
Living a life worthy of the gift he was given.
If you would like information on how to become an organ donor, visit donatelife.ny.gov/register.