HOUSTON, Texas — More than 20 years after his military service, Army veteran Terrill Giere continues to embody the resilience of a soldier. His journey has been marked by serious health struggles, including heart failure, a stroke, and a life-threatening infection. For a year, he depended on a left ventricular assist device (LVAD) to keep his heart functioning. Then, in a critical turn of events, he received a heart transplant at the Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center in Houston.

Now 60, Giere is focused on recovery. He recently celebrated Valentine’s Day with his wife and is looking ahead to a future filled with new opportunities and time with family.

From an unexpected diagnosis to a fight for survival

During a 2020 trip to Colorado, Giere began experiencing shortness of breath. Assuming the high altitude was to blame, he dismissed it as a temporary issue. But once he returned home to Texas, a medical check-up revealed a more serious reality—he was diagnosed with heart failure.

“Before this diagnosis I was pretty healthy, but my heart started acting up pretty fast,” he said. “By 2023, I had to be medevaced to Houston VA to get an LVAD. It was a scary time.”

The LVAD, a small battery-powered pump implanted in his chest, provided critical support to keep his heart functioning. However, his battle wasn’t over. A year later, doctors discovered he had developed a rare allergy and a severe infection, making a heart transplant necessary.

“I knew there was something serious when they took 45 vials of my blood,” Giere recalled. “Everything happened so fast. I was in shock. In less than a week, I was told they had found a heart and I was in the operating room.”

Recovery and a renewed outlook

Since undergoing the transplant in October, Giere has made significant strides in regaining his strength. Walking has become part of his routine again, and he is eager to spend more time with his grandchildren and great-grandchildren, who affectionately call him “Grumpy.”

Reflecting on his experience, he expressed deep gratitude for the medical staff who supported him. “I have been so impressed by the staff at Houston VA. For such a large hospital, both the LVAD and the transplant staff have taken amazing care of me,” he said. “When I walk onto the transplant unit for a check-up, sometimes I feel like a celebrity. I really think that God had a hand in my health journey and he guided the hands of the VA doctors taking care of me.”

According to Dr. Savitri Fedson, medical director of the advanced heart failure program at the Houston VA, the facility is one of the few VA hospitals offering both LVAD procedures and heart transplants. She emphasized the resilience of veterans who undergo both treatments.

“The LVAD serves as a critical bridge allowing veterans to regain their strength and improve their quality of life while waiting for a donor heart,” said Fedson, who also teaches at Baylor College of Medicine. “This combination not only extends their lives but also enables them to embrace new beginnings and cherish precious moments with their loved ones.”

A lifelong connection and a second chance

Throughout his medical challenges, Giere has had unwavering support from his wife, Shannon. Their bond traces back to childhood when they first met as toddlers and quickly formed a close connection. Life took them in different directions—Giere served in the military, including in the honor guard in Washington, D.C., and both built separate families. However, years later, fate brought them back together, and they married in 2021. Since then, they have remained inseparable.

“Shannon is the reason I’m here today,” he said. “She has been with me every step of the way through all my health battles. She really is the love of my life.”

Fedson acknowledged the significance of Giere’s journey and the role of the VA in his care. “We thank Mr. Giere for choosing to receive his care at Houston VA,” she said. “It is our honor and privilege to care for him.”