The Cincinnati Enquirer Jeff Lueders keeps a photo of Brandon Burress, the teen whose heart he received, on his mantle. He met and married a woman whom he describes as his soul mate, earned a master's degree, found a job that allows him to help other transplant patients, and wrote a book about his experiences. Though my end may come faster than I hope, I live a quality life with someone I love and who loves me. The day has more meaning. Nights are not so lonely.
Many people talk about starting over but never do.
Their lives pass by quietly, like fleeting shadows, until one day they're gone. For Mr. Lueders, life No. 2 arrived with the slice of a scalpel and became the moment that will forever divide his past and present. In many ways, his second life is a story of love. At 15, Brandon Burress was a hardworking kid whose goal was to make the Blanchester High School football team in the fall of 1989. Brandon lived in the small Clermont County town of Edenton with his mother, Sheree, and his younger brother and sister.