Greg Olsen shares touching video of son TJ telling siblings about heart transplant

CHARLOTTE — Retired Carolina Panthers star Greg Olsen shared a post on social media Thursday saying he was “forever grateful” for the heart transplant his son TJ received last week.

The post included a video of the 8-year-old telling his brother and sister that a donor had been found.

“You know how I need a heart transplant and they’ve been trying to find one? Today, this morning, they found one,” TJ told his siblings.

Their reaction: “Yes! Yes! Yes!”

TJ was born with a congenital heart defect that required four surgeries, including three open-heart procedures and the installation of a pacemaker.

Last month, Olsen shared in an Instagram post that his son’s heart was “reaching its end” and it “ultimately could lead to a transplant.”

On June 4, Olsen announced that a donor match for TJ had been found. The transplant surgery was performed at Levine Children’s Hospital in Charlotte.

On Monday, Olsen posted a video of TJ thanking everyone for their prayers.

Olsen and his wife, Kara, established the HEARTest Yard initiative shortly after the birth of TJ and his twin sister, Talbot, to raise money for less fortunate families going through crises like theirs.

The three-time Pro Bowl selection has donated millions to the foundation and to the construction of a 25,000-square-foot facility at Levine Children’s Hospital known as the “HEARTest Yard Congenital Heart Center.”

ESPN contributed to this article.

(WATCH BELOW: Olsen family opens up about HEARTest Yard initiative)

'It gives us a lot of purpose': Olsen family opens up about HEARTest Yard initiative ?€˜It gives us a lot of purpose?€™: Olsen family opens up about HEARTest Yard initiative

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