At 67, Kevin Omni Burrus talks about his life with the mix of humor, grit and unshakable confidence that only someone who has survived the unimaginable can pull off. He likes to say he’s “living in his 30s twice” because the donor heart beating in his chest is just 34 years old. “I turned 67, so my heart came with me,” he cracks.
Behind the jokes is a decade-long medical journey filled with heart failure, an implanted defibrillator, valve interventions to alleviate his symptoms, numerous hospital stays, an indwelling catheter that pumps continuous infusion to sustain his heart function, and finally, the heart transplant that saved his life earlier this year.
Kevin’s cardiac story began in April 2014, when he suffered a heart attack while studying at Bloomfield College. He was pushing himself relentlessly—classes, labs, mentoring, long days on campus—and ignored the warning signs until the tightness in his chest and throat became impossible to brush aside.
Weakened heart
By Labor Day that year, his heart had weakened so much that he needed an implanted defibrillator and pacemaker. For the next 11 years, that device became both a safeguard and a source of fear. It shocked him eight times, always without warning, once even knocking him off his feet during a New Year’s celebration.
Fast-forward to 2023. Kevin had just returned from a work trip to Europe when he began feeling sick. Within days, he was back in the hospital. His ejection fraction—the measure of how well the heart pumps blood—had dropped significantly. He spent weeks bouncing between hospitals, enduring test after test, and eventually received an indwelling catheter that infuses medication continuously to sustain the heart function that remained with him for more than a year. During this time, he had to carry the infusion bag with him everywhere he went.
In fact, his condition worsened to a degree that necessitated a valve procedure to improve his symptoms and a peripherally inserted central catheter (PICC) line that stayed with him for more than a year.
“I took the words ‘pain’ and ‘painful’ out of the dictionary,” he said. “I’ve never cried so much in my life.”
The care that carried him
Because of his condition and frequent hospitalization, his cardiologist referred him to the Heart Recovery/Infusion Center at Mountainside Medical Center to help stabilize his symptoms, lower his risk of returning to the hospital, and keep him out of the emergency department.
“Infusion is a valuable tool for patients with repeated heart failure admissions,” said interventional cardiologist Mazin Khalid, M.D. “The Center provides a venue for personalized care and helps to avoid hospitalization.”
Every Monday, the nurses checked his labs and gave him whatever he needed: potassium, magnesium, or diuretics. Kevin calls nurse practitioner Terry Ann “number one,” and says she and Karen, along with nurses Kathy, Katrina, and the rest of the Infusion Center staff, became his lifeline. “We became a family,” he said. “They saved my life.” The infusion center, along with cardiac rehabilitation, helped Kevin manage his condition and physical strength while he was being worked up for heart transplantation.
“I have had great feedback, and my patients feel like a part of a family,” said Dr. Khalid. “They love how personal and warm the staff treats them, and they see the results in the improvement of their symptoms. In fact, some of them ask to continue going to the center even after their symptoms improve because they feel more confident and empowered.”
In late March 2025, Kevin was admitted in critical condition. Just days later—on the Saturday before Easter—the call came: a donor heart was ready. He calls the timing “a miracle,” bolstered by the prayers of friends, church groups and community members who had been hoping for exactly that moment.
He spent four and a half weeks recovering in the hospital after his transplant—remarkably fast for such a major operation.
Strengthening his new heart
Six months later, Kevin is back at Mountainside Medical Center, this time for cardiac rehabilitation. He’s completed the program twice before, but this round feels different.
“I’m determined,” he said. “I want to be healthier. I want to enjoy this heart. Someone gave me a gift.”
He works closely with his care team and keeps up with all his transplant follow-ups. His rehab sessions are steady, focused and full of intention. The man who once lived in fear of being shocked by a defibrillator is now learning to trust his new heart, listen to his body, and find joy in the ordinary moments again.
His journey isn’t finished, but he meets every step with gratitude. He still cooks. He still jokes with nurses. He still shows up with the same energy that has carried him through every setback.
“Everywhere I’ve gone,” he said, “I’ve been blessed.”
And now, with a stronger heart and a renewed sense of purpose, he’s writing the next chapter—one determined step at a time, right inside Mountainside’s cardiac rehab gym.
For more information about cardiac rehabilitation services at Hackensack Meridian Mountainside Medical Center, visit our website.