CNN 5 Things 5 Good Things: The Cyclist With a New Heart & Medal for Team USA
Aug 23, 2025
A heartwarming tale unfolds as athletes with new hearts strive for greatness at the World Transplant Games. A young boy's accidental 911 call leads to a magical birthday surprise for his brother. Meanwhile, two siblings, separated for decades, find each other through modern technology. In a quirky competition, a couple from Wisconsin shatters records at the Wife Carrying World Championship. Finally, a historic church relocation in Sweden tells a story of community and nostalgia, blending joy with a sense of heritage.
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Second Chances On The Podium
- The World Transplant Games showcase about 1,400 athletes who received life-saving organ transplants and compete internationally.
- Rodney Cochran, a heart transplant recipient, won bronze in a 30K cycling race 17 months after transplant, challenging expectations about endurance after heart transplants.
Veteran Athlete Honors Donor
- Rodney Cochran left the hospital determined to 'honor the gift' and pushed his limits daily after a heart transplant caused by infection-related heart failure.
- He returned to competitive cycling and earned a bronze medal in the 30K race while representing Team USA.
Siblings Reunite After Eight Decades
- Marion Griffin and Donald Hefke were separated as infants in the 1940s and reconnected at ages 80 and 81 after a DNA match and social-media contact.
- Donald had searched since age 19, and Denise Baker's genealogy work finally reunited the siblings, who now speak regularly.