Father Of 3 From The Caldwells Needs Heart Transplant, Remains Hospitalized But Hopeful

CALDWELLS, NJ — A father of three in the Caldwells continues to wait for a transplant after living for nearly seven years with advanced heart failure – and he is “holding on to hope” with the help of his family and faith, advocates say.

American Heart Month, which takes place in February, carries an especially deep meaning for Jeffrey Beauzil of West Caldwell.

The local husband and father is one of more than 3,900 people across the nation who are currently waiting for a donor heart. It’s a transplant that represents not only survival, but a chance to keep making memories with his family.

According to NJ Sharing Network – a nonprofit that helps raise awareness about organ and tissue donations – Beauzil’s medical journey began in 2016 and came to a turning point in 2017, when he was hospitalized with severe heart failure.

“I didn’t know my heart was failing at first,” he recalled. “I was active, eating well, and living my life. I thought the shortness of breath was just my asthma.”

It turned out to be something much more serious.

Doctors discovered that Beauzil’s heart was functioning at just nine percent. Over the following years, he underwent extensive testing and treatments. In 2018, Beauzil received a left ventricular assist device: a mechanical pump that has kept him alive while awaiting transplant.

“That device didn’t just save my life,” he said. “It gave me time: time with my wife, time with my kids, and time to grow stronger in my faith.”

Now officially listed for a heart transplant, Beauzil remains hospitalized and hopeful – and a passionate supporter of organ donation, earning formal recognition from the American Heart Association for his advocacy.

“People don’t always realize that one organ and tissue donor can save eight lives and enhance the lives of 75 others,” he said. “Organ and tissue donation is a lifeline. It gives people like me a second chance – and it gives families the opportunity to turn loss into life.”

Beauzil said his religious faith is helping to ease the anxiety as he waits for a transplant.

“I believe God is carrying me through this,” he said. “I’m grateful—for the doctors, the technology, the organizations that support patients like me, and for the organ donor who will one day make my transplant possible.”

“Until then, I keep trusting, staying grateful, and holding onto hope,” he said.

To learn more about organ and tissue donation or to register as a donor, visit NJ Sharing Network’s website.

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