Former NBA Player Scot Pollard Says His Heart Transplant Donor Is a ‘Hero’

Former NBA player and Survivor contestant Scot Pollard is opening up about the moment he met the family of his donor heart.

The 50-year-old — who spent 11 seasons with the NBA —  underwent a heart transplant in February 2024 following a genetic condition that made his heart beat an extra 10,000 times per day. When he was 16, his father died from the same condition while on the transplant list.

“The fact that I get to be Dad for as long as I can was completely worth it,” Pollard, a father of four, told ESPN following his surgery.

The organ donation process after death is anonymous to protect the donor family and recipient, unless the patient chooses to initiate contact. 

Pollard decided five months after his successful surgery that he wanted to meet the family of the man who saved his life, writing a heartfelt letter in hopes of hearing back.

Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE’s free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. 

“My name is Scot,” he wrote. “I live in Indiana and I’m writing this letter to express mine and my family’s unending appreciation for your loved one’s gift of life. My wife, myself, our four children, our extended family and friends are all forever grateful!”

In the letter, Pollard said that, if they’re willing, he would love to meet the family to express his appreciation in person.

“We want to let you know that your loved one’s heart is going to be loved and cared for and will give love back,” he said, the outlet reports. “We have already begun raising donor awareness in our community and are going nationwide. I’ve already connected with multiple donor networks in various communities to assist them in promoting becoming a donor.”

The PEOPLE App is now available in the Apple App Store! Download it now for the most binge-worthy celeb content, exclusive video clips, astrology updates and more!

“Your loved one is our hero and he will live on forever through me and our efforts of getting more people to be selfless heroes like him,” he ended the letter. “He truly is my hero.”

Pollard, who earned a championship ring with the Boston Celtics in 2008, sent the letter through the hospital. Three months later, just as he believed he would never get a response, the family emailed him back.

He learned his donor’s name was Casey Angell through a message from his wife Pamela.

“Thank you for caring for that big heart of his. And we are grateful to know he is loved and will continue to give love,” she wrote. “It means the world to us. He has inspired people in his own family to donate and be a hero like him.”

The PEOPLE Puzzler crossword is here! How quickly can you solve it? Play now!

Reflecting on her late husband’s organ donation, Pamela told ESPN, “You’re losing your best friend, but somebody else is gaining your best friend, in a way.”

Pollard and Pamela spoke by phone in November 2024 and decided to meet in person earlier this year.

On March 17, over a year after his heart transplant, the retired NBA star met with Pamela, her 12-year-old son William, and Angell’s sister Megan. They all hugged each other and listened to William share stories of his dad.

“There was a connection there that I felt,” Pollard said. “I know how that feels as a child, to lose your father.”

The family then all took turns listening to Angell’s heartbeat through Pollard’s chest with a stethoscope. They told the outlet that connecting was a healing moment.

“What we hope for moving forward,” Pollard said, “is just that I can keep living a good life because of their gift.”

“It’s an honor to let everyone know how proud we are of him, and who he was, and what a good man he was,” Megan added of her brother. “We miss him every day, but Scot helps with that.”

Pollard’s health battle and transplant journey is documented in ESPN’s new documentary, Heart of Pearl.