Son of former NFL TE Olsen receives heart transplant

Former NFL tight end Greg Olsen's son, TJ, received a heart transplant Friday hours after discovering a donor match.

"A day we have prayed for has arrived," Greg wrote Friday on Twitter. "We were alerted last night that there was a donor match for TJ to receive his heart transplant. Walking our little boy, with tears of hope and fear in our eyes, was one of the toughest moments of our lives.

"We ask for everyone's prayers for TJ and his amazing team of doctors and nurses. TJ has a long road ahead of him but today is a huge step forward."

UPDATE- TJ is finished with surgery and is being transferred to the ICU. We won't be able to see him for a few more hours but his doctors are very happy with the surgery. TJ will be sedated for a few days but his road to recovery has begun. https://t.co/JrYayw2j59

- Greg Olsen (@gregolsen88) June 4, 2021

Greg announced in May that his son's heart was "reaching its end" and that TJ would likely need a transplant.

TJ was born in 2012 with a congenital heart defect. He has undergone three open-heart surgeries and lived with a modified heart for the past eight years.

Greg, 36, retired this offseason, concluding a 14-year NFL career that featured stints with the Carolina Panthers, Chicago Bears, and Seattle Seahawks.

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