Inspirational heart transplant triathlete Kyle Garlett must fight another battle. Not with his health this time but with disappointment after failing in his attempt to become the first heart transplant patient to complete the Ironman Triathlon World Championships at Kona this weekend.
He missed the cut-off time for the swim section by just 1 miunte 55 seconds finishing in 2:21:55. A heartbreakingly close margin for this inspirational athlete. I only hope that he can take confort from words on his website and come back fighting and give it another go.
“Defeat may serve as well as victory to shake the soul and let the glory out.” Edwin Markham
Each chapter of his medical history would be enough to break most men, 37 year old Gartlett braved it all.
My story begins in 1989, five weeks after his 18th birthday, I was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s disease. Five months of radiation followed. In 1991 I was re-diagnosed with the Hodgkin’s. Six months of chemotherapy (MOPP-ABV) follow. 1994 I was diagnosed with the Hodgkin’s for a third time. Intense chemotherapy followed by a stem cell transplant take place at the City of Hope. 1995 treatment was stopped suddenly when I was diagnosed with cardiomyopathy – a weakening of the heart muscle due to the chemo drug Adriamycin.
1997 I was diagnosed with a secondary acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL) as a result of chemotherapy years earlier. Three long years of chemotherapy follow. In 2000 my right hip was replaced, followed six months later by my left shoulder. Both joints suffered from necrosis as a result of high dosages of prednisone.
2001 I was placed on the heart transplant waiting list at UCLA and given a pacemaker to manage my cardiomyopathy. 2003 Because of further electrical failures my pacemaker was upgraded to a pacer/defibrillator 2005 That pacer/defibrillator was recalled by the manufacturer and surgery was required to replace it. 2006 On October 10, at 3:45pm, I got the call from UCLA – a donor heart was ready. By 1:30 the next morning I was out of surgery and in the ICU with a brand new heart.
Garlett was invited to compete in the elite event because organizers believe he “demonstrates the Ironman mantra: Anything is possible,” said Blair LaHaye, director of communications for Ironman. Speaking about his quest Gartlett said:
At the Ironman in Kona there are no limits and there is no impossible. That is what drives me there. This is my Everest.
The following video was recorded for Small World Big Life A terrific charity run by a friend of garlett’s and gives a great insight into this inspirational cancer survivor.
For more information on this inspirational triathlete and cancer survivor please visit his website www.ironmankyle.com
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I honestly think you should take out the word fail in this sentence: “Not with his health this time but with disappointment after failing in his attempt to..” This athlete did not fail-he didn’t succeed in his attempt. The very fact that is he is here on this earth to attempt -to try is a success in my mind.
Hi Aleta. I tottaly agree that kyle is an incredible man and an inspiration to all of us in terms of how he lives his life and for the way he has battled not only to stay alive but to go on and achieve sporting ambitions beyond the reach of most supposedly fit people.
To my mind there is no shame in failing, when we reach out for our dreams there is every liklihood that we will fail a good deal more often than we are succesful. That is the nature of moving far outside our confort zone. And by the same token it is why success tastes so sweet. Thanks for taking the time to comment on this story I really appreciate your engaement with it.
ask kyle to contact me on email skippi@ausi.com please