KEY POINTS

  • Dying man gets a new lease on life after an uplifting call from Duke head coach Krzyzewski
  • Jordan Hardy got more than a chance to talk to Krzyzewski
  • Duke University doctors are now trying to figure out how to prolong Hardy’s life

Health is a prime concern these days, and this is not limited to COVID-19-related matters.

Some people have undergone delicate medical procedures, a reason for them still being alive today.

Such is the case of a man named Jordan Hardy who underwent a heart transplant 15 years ago and has managed to lead a good life since then. He has religiously followed medical orders and managed to continue living a normal life.

However, all that changed last month when the health of Hardy started to decline. With the pandemic in the air, the immediate presumption was that it was COVID-19-related.

Doctors told Hardy that his deteriorating was not due to COVID-19 but because his heart was failing. Attending physicians said they could not do anything about it

“I got really out of breath if I did a whole lot,” Hardy said in a report from Fox 8. “With it being coronavirus, I thought I caught COVID. I was leaning that route. I couldn’t do anything without getting winded and out of breath.”

The news was stunning to Hardy and his family. Things have changed and friends visited him to cheer him up.

But one friend, aware that Hardy was a lifelong Duke Blue Devils fan, went a step further.

Hardy got a call but was unaware of who was on the other line. When he heard the man speak, he knew that it was no other than the Duke Blue Devils legendary coach Mike Krzyzewski.

“I couldn’t give up then,” Hardy said. “He told me he was fighting and praying for me. I had to do it for him too. He is one of the best coaches ever.”

The call from Krzyzewski injected new hope, not only to Hardy but to the family. He also got some added help when Duke University doctors followed up to check on his status.

Hence, Hardy got a new lifeline with Duke University doctors now reviewing his medical records. They are now trying to figure out how he can live longer.

Duke Mike Krzyzewski
Pictured: Head coach Mike Krzyzewski of the Duke Blue Devils shouts against the Rhode Island Rams during the second half in the second round of the 2018 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at PPG PAINTS Arena on March 17, 2018 in Pittsburgh. Justin K. Aller/Getty Images

“My spirits are uplifted, but we have to stay even,” Shelia Hardy stated. “We have to see what they say at Duke, what the plan is, and what they think.”

It all started with a phone call, but Hardy now has something to look forward to, potentially allowing him to live longer than all started with a phone call from coach Krzyzewski.

Krzyzewski announced in June that he plans to retire at the end of the 2021-22 season, USA Today reported.