Beloved ‘Survivor’ Star Thanks Donor’s Family Following His Heart Transplant

Many people know Scot Pollard from his time on the “Survivor” TV show. However, he also has a loyal fan base due to his 11 years in the NBA. Recently, Scot Pollard opened up about his emotional heart transplant journey as well as his subsequent meeting with his donor’s family. 

As with many, Scot Pollard had an emotional journey regarding finding a suitable heart. According to E! Online, he said while in the hospital, “I’m really attached to this heart. I feel like it’s the best one. That’s the one I was born with. And the biggest fear is that the next one isn’t going to be good enough.”

Ultimately, there was a match for Scot Pollard in Casey Angell. Casey passed away at 45 years old after being intubated due to pneumonia. Scot had the operation in February of 2024. He then wrote a letter to Casey’s family five months later. 

He said in the note, “I live in Indiana, and I’m writing this letter to express mine and my family’s unending appreciation for your loved one’s gift of life. My wife, myself, our four children, our extended family, and friends are all forever grateful!”

The former NBA star then said, “We would love the opportunity to meet at some point if you’re amenable to that idea. We want to let you know that your loved one’s heart is going to be loved and cared for, and will give love back.”

He went on, “Your loved one is our hero, and he will live on forever through me and our efforts of getting more people to be selfless heroes like him. If you don’t feel comfortable responding, I completely understand. I just wanted you to know my lifelong appreciation for him. He truly is my hero.”

Scot Pollard Later Met Casey’s Family

Time passed, and Scot received a response from Casey’s wife, Pamela, and his sister, Megan. They said in their letter, “Scot, you warmed our hearts with your kind words concerning your donor, who was loved beyond measure.”

The emotional letter continued, “February 16, 2024, was an incredibly hard day for those of us that loved your donor, Casey. When we knew that we were going to have to let him go, and were approached about organ donation, there was never a pause or a doubt that Casey would have wanted to help.”

From there, Scot traveled to Lindale, Texas, to meet Casey’s family. This was in March of 2025. He told ESPN after the meeting, “What we hope for moving forward is just that I can keep living a good life because of their gift.”

He Suffered From a Genetic Condition

Scot Pollard seemed to be in perfect form when he competed on the “Survivor” TV show, as well as during his years in the NBA. However, according to Men’s Journal, he received a cardiomyopathy diagnosis in 2021. This is a genetic condition that makes it harder for the heart to pump blood. 

Notably, Scot’s father passed away after having the same condition. He was on the heart transplant list at the time.