Update: Family of Grand Rapids' first heart transplant recipient react to donor's identity being revealed.

If not for the generous spirit of the late Tim Korzen, Grand Rapids' first heart transplant recipient, Rahn Bentley, would be close to death or worse.

And likely so would the three other individuals who received a liver and two kidneys also donated by Korzen.

The 44-year-old Ada Township husband and father of two young boys died unexpectedly Nov. 26 from bacterial meningitis. He made local history last week by donating the first heart ever to be transplanted in Grand Rapids.

“He would be uncomfortable with all the hoopla surrounding this because he just flew under the radar and helped everybody and didn’t expect anything in return,” said Korzen’s wife, Peggy, who spoke to The Press Sunday in an exclusive interview.

"To know he's living on in four other people really does help comfort the family," she said.

"I know he wouldn't see himself as a hero, but I can't help but think to save four people's lives — you hate to overuse that term — but yeah I think so," she said.

YOU CAN HELP

How can I register to donate? Become one of the more than 2 million Michigan residents who have joined the Michigan Organ Donor Registry, a confidential database accessible to Gift of Life Michigan. There are no age limits or medical histories limits - anyone can sign up.

Where do I sign up? Online at www.giftoflifemichigan.org or call 800-482-4881 or visit any Michigan Secretary of State branch office.

What happens once I register? Michigan residents who join receive a red heart donor emblem for the front of their driver's license or state ID card. Non-residents can also sign up, but will not receive a red heart emblem.

Source: Gift of Life Michigan

A team of four cardiothoracic surgeons performed the eight-hour transplant on Bentley at Spectrum Health Meijer Heart Center on Nov. 27 and into the early hours of Nov. 28.

The operation came a little over 24 hours after Korzen was declared brain dead.

Earlier this year, the hospital was authorized by the state to perform heart transplants, the only hospital on the west side of the state. Three other hospitals in Southeast Michigan also perform the transplants.

Spectrum officials held a press conference Nov. 30 to announce the news of its first transplant, the same day over 200 people attended Korzen's funeral at St. Matthew Lutheran Church in Cascade Township. His visitation was attended by the mayor and city manager of Grand Rapids, in part, because Peggy Korzen, 42, is the Grand Rapids city pension administrator.

On Sunday, she said the family was still struggling to absorb his sudden death, which came the day after Thanksgiving. Korzen had complained of flu-like symptoms the day before and awoke Thanksgiving morning with a bad headache, fever and mental confusion prompting Peggy to summon an ambulance.

He was taken to Spectrum Health Butterworth Hospital in downtown Grand Rapids where medical staff did a spinal tap and diagnosed him with bacterial meningitis, which causes inflammation in the brain and spine.

”We knew this was not looking good, the infection was just too advanced,” she recalled. Bacterial meningitis is treatable with antibiotics if diagnosed early, but Korzen was too far along to respond to treatment.

While her husband could not have known the significance of his decision to join the Michigan Organ Donor Registry, Peggy said there was never any question in the family's mind that if he did not pull through his organs would be donated.

The two had previously talked about it and both felt “very strongly” about organ donation, especially because Peggy had an aunt who lived 17 additional years after receiving a second liver transplant.

“We know how precious that gift is,” Peggy said. “I would have been heartbroken if nothing could be used.”

Gift of Life Michigan officials who coordinate organ and tissue recovery in the state did not become involved until it is it was clear Korzen was brain dead and nothing could be done to save his life, just as they do in every case, said spokeswoman Betsy Miner-Swartz.

“We have a huge myth in our society that if you’re signed up on the registry the likelihood that doctors will save your life (decreases),” Miner-Swartz said.

Gift of Life Michigan donation coordinator, Ashley Kloosterman said Korzen was able to donate because he had the bacterial form of meningitis. He and the recipients were given strong doses of antibiotics. In addition, tissue cultures were tested and Korzen’s blood type and antigens were “cross-matched” with recipients, she said.

Korzen’s organs went to three Michigan residents and one person in Texas who was a “perfect match” for a kidney. He was number 260 of a total of 268 Michigan residents who have donated organs this year.

”It’s pretty rare for there to be a perfect match,” Miner-Swartz said. “We do consider in state (recipients) first.”

On Sunday, Peggy cradled her sons Adam, 11, and Jason, 6, in her arms as they sat on the couch in the living room of the Ada Township home the couple built together over 11 years ago.

She became emotional as she spoke about her husband’s “hands on” parenting style, his giving nature, and creative talents. The trio sat on a couch not far from the eye-catching slate rock fireplace Tim Korzen crafted himself.

Korzen, a materials planner for Metric Manufacturing Co. in Lowell, was handy with any tool his wife said, and spent a lot of time working on things around their home, or helping others with projects. He also enjoyed coaching his sons in Odyssey of the Mind competitions.

“He was just so involved, he picked the kids up at the bus stop. That’s what they’ll miss the most,” Peggy said.

Korzen was also proud to be a National Ski Patrol volunteer along with Peggy at Cannonsburg Ski Area near Rockford.

“When I met him it became clear to me that if I ever wanted to see him in the winter I’d better learn how to ski,” said Peggy, who met Tim over 20 years ago when both worked at a Meijer store in Jenison. “(Ski patrol) it kind of combined two passions — helping people and skiing.”

Korzen said she hopes to someday meet Rahn Bentley, who received her husband’s heart. Bentley, 50, was born with a congenital heart defect and had his first open-heart surgery at the age of 6 in 1966 at Butterworth Hospital — the year Korzen was born.

The condition caused Bentley to have a heart attack in 2004 and be “near death” earlier this year before doctors installed an artificial heart pump.

”We wish the best for him and hope he can live a long and healthy life,” she said. “”Tim has a legacy now.”

First heart transplant at Spectrum Health 11 Gallery: First heart transplant at Spectrum Health

E-mail Kyla King: kking@grpress.com and follow her on Twitter at twitter.com/KYLking