By J.D. O’Gara

On an average day in September last year, Heather Bliss, of Medway, got a call from her 47-year-old brother, Peter, in Florida. He had not been feeling well for the past 24 hours. Listening to his symptoms, Heather, a nurse, realized he was suffering from a heart attack. She urged him to call 911. 

Peter ended up in a Florida ICU, having suffered a “widow’s maker” heart attack, where major arteries are completely blocked. Although he went home, Peter later suffered further health decline, so Bliss took him back to Boston, to Brigham & Women’s Hospital, which immediately admitted him.

“They explained that … ultimately, he would need a heart transplant,” says Bliss, “So, we celebrated his birthday in January, and we celebrated Christmas as if it were his last. It was probably the hardest year of my life, my mother’s, my sister’s, when your loved one is just clinging to a miracle.”

Peter begged to stay on the organ donor list when he ended up in the hospital and an infection threatened his suitability for the procedure, but on March 21st, after he had voiced premonition he’d be having the transplant the day before, a heart became available through whom Bliss refers to as “Peter’s angel.”

“We always feel we’re forever indebted to (Brigham & Women’s) and their kindness,” says Bliss, who was approached by hospital to join its Stepping Strong 2025 Boston Marathon team, which will raise funds for the Gillian Reny Stepping Strong Foundation, which aims to catalyze trauma innovation for injured civilians and military heroes at Brigham and Women’s Hospital. Gillian Reny’s life and legs were saved in 2013 after she was hit by shrapnel during the Boston Marathon bombing. 

Although the foundation was not directly related to her brother’s treatment, Bliss didn’t hesitate to join the team. “Everyone (on the team) is running for some reason they want to give back. Everybody has the same underlying gratitude,” she says.

Peter is now doing okay, although the cocktail of medications he needed damaged his kidneys to the point Bliss and her twin sister Samantha were considering donating theirs. Peter may need a kidney transplant in the future, but Bliss says, “He’s very grateful that he has been given a second chance and thinks about his organ donor all the time.” 

Now, Bliss must raise funds for her Brigham & Women team. Her first fundraiser will take place on December 19th, from 3:30 - 8 p.m. at the Franklin VFW Post 3402 at 1034 Pond St., Franklin. She and her team of elves (high school students) will wrap Christmas gifts for a $20-$30 donation per bag of gifts. Folks can drop off that day or sign up ahead by emailing [email protected]. 

Later, on January 10th, Urban Air will donate 20% of admission proceeds to Bliss’ marathon fundraiser if they mention it at the door.

Can’t make the fundraisers? No problem. Donations can also be made through the following link bit.ly/BlissSteppingStrong2025.