Frank Parisi grew up in the mean streets of NYC, surviving a childhood in Little Italy around “made men” who didn’t use words to settle their arguments… they used baseball bats. Though he made it through his rough childhood alive, he wasn’t unscathed… 

He came out with two things: a high school sweetheart who would become his ride or die forever love (29 years and counting!)... and a nasty drug addiction that would almost take his life.

This story of overcoming one thing only to succumb to another seems to be a hallmark of Frank’s life. Just when he finally got his life on track, he was hit with another one-two punch: as he achieved (and began to really EMBRACE) sobriety, he started feeling… “unwell.”

Like… REALLY unwell.

A fleet of doctors couldn’t figure it out… in fact, they were milling about in his hospital room in hazmat suits, thinking it may have been… tuberculosis.

I know… tuberculosis???

Turns out it wasn’t tuburculosis… Frank’s heart was failing. Fast. And there was only one way to save him: he would need a heart transplant.

Needing an organ transplant is a weird thing, because it means that for you to live, you are waiting for someone else… to die.

Where Frank’s heart would come from would be the most intense part of his story yet… it’s almost too wild to believe.

Tune in to hear the story of a new heart that led to a new life… and a new spirit of gratitude that lit his flame so brightly, today he spends his life paying it forward… and changing the world.

Show Notes:

A big thank you to Frank for joining the podcast and sharing your inspiring story. 

Follow Frank on Instagram @frankparisi2011, and head over to his website to grab his book: https://frank-parisi.com/

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Make sure to follow Jamie @jamiehess on Instagram for news & updates, and visit our companion Instagram account @gratitudeology for a sneak peek into the personal moments discussed on the show.

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The Gratitudeology Podcast theme music is by HYLLS, performed by Nadia Ali @thenadiaali