In this event, a heartfelt message

Triathletes compete to raise awareness of organ donation

Almost seven years after getting a heart transplant, Peter Kenyon, 70, will participate in the Duxbury Beach Triathlon. (Laureen Velvet/Darien Times)

Peter Kenyon calls himself a nurse-motivator - a successful graduate of Yale-New Haven Hospital in Connecticut.

The nurses "don't see too many of their patients survive and thrive," he said.

The 70-year-old Kenyon, a resident of Darien, Conn., suffered two heart attacks in a matter of weeks in 1989. He was given an investigational heart pump in 1998 while doctors sought a match for a heart transplant.

"If the heart pump failed, I failed," said Kenyon, who is proud of being the longest survivor with the heart pump - at four years, three months, and 22 days.

The heart transplant finally came, 15 mismatches and almost four years later. The donor was Andrew Colligan, who died at age 30 from a brain aneurysm on New Year's Day in 2002. Colligan, who coached youth hockey in Charlestown, was a former hockey and lacrosse player at the Noble and Greenough School in Dedham and later Colby College.

"I'm grateful for the gift of life," Kenyon said. "I can do things now that I couldn't do when I was healthy."

One of those things is a triathlon. On Saturday, Kenyon will compete in the annual Duxbury Beach Triathlon. He is on a team with George Senerchia, also a heart transplant recipient, and Marshfield resident Tom Colligan - Andrew Colligan's father.

The idea to form the team came up last November when the Colligans and Kenyon, who communicate mostly via e-mail, met over brunch. The idea is to help spread organ and tissue donor awareness.

"People have this misconception that transplant recipients can't have high-quality lives," said Colligan. "We want to show everyone that's not the case at all. Peter has gone on to travel for years and compete in athletic events."

"Had I not survived, I wouldn't have walked my youngest daughter down the aisle," Kenyon said. "I wouldn't have seen the birth of three of my grandchildren. I would've missed family dinners every Sunday night."

This is the first triathlon for all three men. Kenyon will swim the first stage (0.5 miles), Colligan will do the cycling (13 miles), and Senerchia will run the final leg (3.1 miles). The 71-year-old Colligan has been cycling for years and has competed in two duathlons. Kenyon and Senerchia, 55, are members of Team Connecticut, which competes in the US Transplant Games.

"I've never seen anything like this in a triathlon," Brian Noyes, director of the triathlon, said of the team Colligan assembled. "I don't think anybody has."

Kenyon swims five times a week at the YMCA in Darien. He has also won five medals in swimming (one gold, one silver, three bronze) with Team Connecticut. Needless to say, the opening leg of the triathlon shouldn't be a problem.

"I'm expecting cold water," he quipped. "I'll be OK if I get a good rhythm going."

Colligan has been cycling for most of his life. He does admit, however, he is a little late to the triathlon world.

"I've been training with triathletes and have been cycling competitively for two years," Colligan says. "You've got to stay in better shape these days."

Senerchia, like Kenyon, received his heart transplant at Yale-New Haven Hospital. He competes in the discus, shot put, 5K, breast stroke, and mixed freestyle relay for Team Connecticut.

"He's the real deal," Kenyon said of Senerchia. "There are people between the age of 4 and 80 that compete in the Transplant Games. It's emotional and quite inspirational."

Colligan and Kenyon said they don't have lofty expectations for the team's performance.

"We just want to get the word out that organ and tissue donation awareness works," Kenyon said. "I'm proof positive."

"Andy always wanted to be an organ donor," Colligan said. "He made that clear. And to see that our son has allowed someone to continue to live their life is just awesome."

Kenyon and Colligan are unsure if more triathlons are in their futures. Both, however, are thankful for the opportunity.

"Everyone at triathlons is just happy they finished the event and is happy for each other," Colligan said. "I'm so happy Peter is getting to do this. He's gone on to do things even he probably didn't think were possible. He's got a great heart."