Patrick Carroll, Heart Transplant Recipient, 1976 - 2012

Patrick Carroll died Tuesday, April 10, 2012, a little more than a month after receiving a new heart at Stanford University Medical Center. He was 36.

The Watsonville man was remembered as a family man with an appreciation for life, despite a lifelong struggle with a serious medical condition.

"He could find the humor in any situation," said Samantha Carroll, his wife of 14 years. "No matter how bad it was, he could always find something to joke about to make everyone laugh."

It was a quality that helped sustain the Carrolls through difficult times.

Carroll, a Long Beach native, was born with a heart defect that transposed his aorta and pulmonary artery. He had surgery at 18 months to mitigate the defect, according to his wife. At age 12, he had a pacemaker operation. Several more surgeries followed in subsequent years.

But by 2010, his heart weakened to the point where a transplant was necessary. His lungs, last in line to get blood because his heart pumped backward, also had been damaged.

A transplant would mean "a whole new life," Patrick Carroll told the Sentinel in 2010 as he waited to find out if doctors evaluating his condition would put him on a list for the operation. At the time, he had so little stamina he couldn't play catch with his children.

Hundreds of people responded with condolences and promises of prayers to Carroll's announcement of her husband's death on a Facebook page dedicated to his struggle.

"I am amazed at how much support we have been given, not only in the area, but around the world," Carroll said.

At Auto Care Towing, where Carroll had worked for the past few years as a dispatcher, owner Kelvin Ramer said it was a sad day.

"He was a positive guy, always in a good mood," Ramer said. "He was looking forward to playing with his kids in a way he couldn't before the transplant."

Carroll enjoyed monster trucks. In the past year, he also donated time to raise awareness about the need for organ donation through Donate Life.

For many of us, this is how we know Patrick and of his passion for monster trucks flying the Donate Life Flag.  He was just as passionate about his wonderful family.