Donny Brinklow’s Second Chance at Life
Donny Brinklow used to define himself by hard work. A father of eight and self-proclaimed workaholic, he pushed himself to provide everything for his kids that he never had growing up. He worked 16-hour days, barely paused to rest, and rarely thought twice about his own health — until the night his heart stopped beating.
It was September 27, 2014. Donny wasn’t feeling quite right but chalked it up to exhaustion. That evening, he suited up for his hockey team, which was short a goalie. “I didn’t want to let the guys down,” he said. But early in the game, after making a hard save, he collapsed on the ice. At first, his teammates thought he had hurt his knee. But one of them — a firefighter — heard the unmistakable sound of agonal breathing – death breath.
Miraculously, many of the men on the ice were firefighters. They jumped into action, performing CPR and using a defibrillator within minutes. Donny was clinically dead for 17 minutes. It took seven shocks to bring his heart back.
He was rushed to Lennox & Addington County General Hospital in Napanee. That night, afraid to fall asleep, Donny was overwhelmed by fear and regret. “I just wanted to tell my family how much I loved them,” he said. He was transferred to Kingston General Hospital, where he suffered two more heart attacks. Doctors didn’t expect him to make it. A week later, he was placed on life support.
Over the next few months, Donny’s journey became a rollercoaster of setbacks and survival. He was released from hospital in November, only to be sent to the Ottawa Heart Institute when his condition worsened again. Just before Christmas, he was added to the transplant list. Then, on January 7th, a call came: a donor heart was available.
“I was happy… but also incredibly sad,” said Donny. His donor was a 20-year-old man who had died from a rare genetic disorder. “I had a hard time — someone had to die for me to live. But my doctor reminded me: this young man’s wish to give the gift of life was being fulfilled.”
Twelve days after surgery, Donny walked out of the hospital. He stayed in Ottawa for three months for follow-up care and biopsies. After 159 days away, he finally returned home to his close-knit Tyendinaga community and the family that never gave up on him.
That summer, he celebrated Father’s Day — something he never thought he’d do again. Since then, he’s seen all his children graduate and has welcomed 16 grandchildren into the world.
“I used to think providing meant working all the time,” Donny said. “But what my family really needed was my time — and that’s free.”
In April, during BeADonor Month, Donny visited Belleville General Hospital to speak with Quinte Health staff. He shared his story of survival, gratitude, and the incredible ripple effect of organ donation. It was an emotional visit, reminding everyone of the lives saved and transformed through the Trillium Gift of Life Network — a program Quinte Health proudly supports.
Perhaps the most extraordinary chapter in Donny’s story began after his recovery — when he learned the identity of his donor.
His name was Matthew Wright.
Donny eventually connected with Matthew’s family and formed a deep bond, especially with Matthew’s father, Peter. One day, the two visited Matthew’s favourite pub together. Although Donny doesn’t usually drink, that night he had a sudden urge to order Rickard’s Red. Peter stared at him in disbelief. “That was Matthew’s favourite beer,” he said quietly.
In that surreal moment, Donny felt something greater than coincidence — a flicker of connection that words couldn’t explain.
“I carry Matthew’s heart,” Donny said. “And somehow, pieces of him still shine through.”
One day, while playing with his granddaughter Isabella, she held a toy stethoscope to his chest. That simple moment hit hard.
“I’m alive because of the many people — doctors, donors, families, staff, volunteers — who made this possible. I don’t take that for granted. There are so many unsung heroes in the world of organ and tissue donation. From the bottom of my heart… thank you.”
Register to be a donor at www.beadonor.ca/quintehealth.
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