Ohio Veteran Denied Life-Saving Heart Transplant Over COVID Jab Refusal [WATCH]

An Ohio veteran is fighting for his life after being denied a heart transplant—simply because he refused the COVID vaccine.

Ken Long, a 54-year-old from Ohio, developed congestive heart failure nearly a year ago after falling ill during a family vacation to Texas.

His wife, Christina, explained to Ohio Advocates for Medical Freedom that after exhausting other medical options, he was approved for a transplant at The Christ Hospital in Cincinnati, as reported by The Daily Mail.

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Everything seemed on track for Long to receive a donor heart. His medical tests showed he was otherwise healthy, apart from his failing heart. But then came the hospital’s shocking demand: take the COVID shot or lose your chance at a transplant.

Long stood his ground. “When I decide something, I mean it. And if it takes dying, it’s what it is,” he told WRKC. He cited concerns about vaccine safety, including known risks of blood clots and cardiac issues, along with his personal and religious rights.

Christina initially struggled with her husband’s decision, but soon realized just how deep the coercion ran. “To be told he was so sick and might not live, but they wouldn’t give him a transplant due to his personal choice and religious beliefs? It was mind-blowing,” she said.

She described the ordeal as a nightmare, where questioning the hospital’s policy meant risking her husband’s care. “The scare tactics are real,” she added. “I’ve lived it.”

Since the hospital refused to give him a new heart, doctors instead performed emergency surgery to implant a left ventricular assist device (LVAD), a mechanical pump that helps his heart function.

But it’s far from a solution. “If the power goes out, I can hardly do anything,” Long said. “I have to worry about my batteries and my charger. You can’t get wet, so showering is an issue.”

Long’s health continues to deteriorate. He has now been diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes, severe cardiovascular disease risk, kidney failure, and stage three chronic kidney disease.

His wife is devastated, knowing that with a new heart, he could have resumed his life. “He’d be back at work, riding his Harley, providing for his family, and playing with his grandkids,” she said.

A fundraiser has been launched to help with medical expenses and keep the family afloat while Long fights for his life. It had raised just $670 as of Sunday. Meanwhile, despite the hospital’s vaccine policy, Long is holding onto hope that it will reconsider.

“I’m 54, but there are kids out there right now who are sick and whose families also refuse vaccination,” he said. “That’s why I’m doing this. It’s more important for these kids to have the opportunity to live.”

In 2024, Ohio lawmakers introduced a bill to prevent hospitals from discriminating against unvaccinated patients. While it passed committee, it never made it to a full vote.

The Christ Hospital Health Network, standing firm on its policy, released a statement justifying its decision, claiming vaccines are essential to transplant success.

For now, the fight continues—not just for Long’s life, but for medical freedom itself.