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I Gave My Heart to Rod Carew

NFL player's family gives the gift of life to their son's hero

As a little boy, Konrad Reuland met one of the greatest sports heroes of his lifetime: Hall of Fame baseball player Rod Carew. Nearly 20 years later, Konrad — who grew up to play in the NFL with the Baltimore Ravens — would become Carew’s hero.

When the young football player suffered an aneurysm and passed away in December 2016, his family chose to donate his liver, kidneys and heart. Little did they know that Konrad’s heart would wind up saving the life of the very man who had inspired him years earlier.

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Watch the incredible story of how these two lives became eternally entwined, and learn how you too can become a hero, with this powerful video from AARP and the American Heart Association.

To mark American Heart Month, AARP produced this article in collaboration with the American Heart Association, along with more articles, videos and quizzes available at aarp.org/hearthealth. To receive essential heart-health tips every day in February, download the AARP app or follow us on Facebook and Twitter. To stay up to date on the latest heart news all year long, check out the AHA's website, Heart.org.

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