Professional Athletes Who Are Real-Life Heroes

The Two Athletes Will Forever Be A Part Of Each Other’s Lives

life-saving-athletes-18.jpg

Photo Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images

Reuland would post-humously save 71-year-old Carew’s life. Coincidentally, the two had chance encounters in the past; the football player met the Hall of Famer as a teen when Reuland’s brother and Carew’s son were on the same middle-school basketball team.

Months after the successful transplant, Carew met Reuland’s family, who got to hear their loved one’s heartbeat once again in someone else’s chest. Carew started his charity “Heart of 29” which took its name from Carew’s jersey. Of course, the name had extra meaning after the transplant, since Reuland was 29 at the time of his untimely death.