MARION COUNTY, Mississippi (WDAM) – Loyd Whaley turned 72 less than two weeks ago.

Many would say this is an important milestone for a man who doctors did not expect to reach adulthood.

August 13 marks the 32nd anniversary of Whaley receiving a life-saving heart transplant after being told his heart function was only at 10%.

“My wife was worried about it, but I told her the big man up there would take care of me,” Whaley said.

Doctors at the Oschner Transplant Institute said Whaley had six months to live without the transplant.

Whaley spent a year and a half at the institute before he got the call.

His daughter, April Cook, was just a senior in high school at the time.

“He was in a hunting club at the time, and the hunting club did a lot for us,” Cook said. “Even classmates raised money for us. The community really came together for us.”

Studies show that only half of heart transplant recipients live longer than 11 years after the procedure.

Whaley is now a grandfather of six children and a great-grandfather of two grandchildren.

“He lived to see four of those six graduate,” Cook said. “One is in 11th grade. The other is in eighth grade.”

Cook said she enjoys every moment with her father these days.

“His father is from the Smoky Mountains,” Cook said. “Actually, he’s the first child born in Louisiana. We were allowed to drive up there and hike.”

For me, the opportunity to hike in the Smoky Mountains is one of the highlights of my life.”

When Whaley looks back on his journey, he says he has a dream for the future.

“Seeing my great-great-grandchildren graduate,” Whaley said.

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