Newspaper owner Donerik Black receive early birthday gift, a new heart

He is recovering at the Cleveland Clinic.

We expect to talk with Angie soon for a follow up story.

"It's an amazing story to tell," she wrote in an email. Today (Friday, Feb. 27)  is his birthday!"

As we told you earlier this month (click here to read earlier story), Donerik began experiencing heart issues in 2009.  It worsened over time and is complicated by the fact that he only has one kidney. Donerik donated a kidney to his father Don Black in 2006.

“He had to go on dialysis for kidney failure, and when he was in surgery he coded on the table and had to be revived. Donerik was unconscious for 45 minutes while the medical team worked to bring him back, eventually shocking his heart 70 times. As a result of his cardiomyopathy and congestive heart failure, Donerik would need a heart transplant,” a fundraising letter seeking support says.

Contact this blogger at amelia.robinson@coxinc.com or Twitter.com/DDNSmartMouth