Bob Gregor was so grateful for a new heart and the caregivers who gave him a second chance at life that he left an incredible legacy gift to help ease the way for future out-of-town patients.

A former pilot, Bob was a straightforward guy. He had a deep voice, a dry wit and he loved motorcycles. He also loved working in his garden and always had his companion, an Australian shepherd named Sammy, by his side. After receiving a heart transplant at Providence, Bob's life was dramatically improved . A few years after his transplant, an accident left Bob with a traumatic brain injury, which physicians continued to closely monitor.

It was over coffee with his transplant nurse, Pam Hester, that he asked how he could give back to the place that saved his life. He said the caregivers at Providence Heart Institute in Spokane had become like a family, and he wanted to help the program's continued success.

Pam, who helped build the transplant program at Providence Sacred Heart Medical Center, said caregivers were concerned about out-of-town patients. As a tertiary hospital serving the entire region, many transplant patients came from outside of Spokane. They often struggled to afford hotels or other temporary housing options while on the wait list for a heart, needing to be close to the hospital when an organ became available. Additionally, post-transplant patients must stay within an hour's distance of Providence Sacred Heart so that the care team can closely monitor their recovery. Pam shared these needs with Bob and was happy to connect him to Providence Inland Northwest Foundation for further discussion. She had no idea he would be inspired to leave his entire life savings to Providence.

After Bob's passing, the Bob Gregor Endowment was formed to assist with travel needs for cardiac transplant patients. This endowment will help relieve the financial burden of accessing care.

The Center for Advanced Heart Disease and Transplant is part of Providence Heart Institute in Spokane and performs an average of 12 heart transplants per year. The first heart transplant was performed in March 1990.

Bob had regular visits for his follow-up care after his transplant as well as extra monitoring after his crash. To help transplant patients through what can be a challenging and complex process, caregivers focus on what is important to a patient. Pam quickly learned that traveling and his motorcycle were Bob's passions.

"Bob's transplant story is such a success, even though he did suffer the traumatic brain injury in an unrelated accident," Pam said. "He traveled, he was social and he got many extra years of life to enjoy the people he loved - especially Sammy."

Sammy is now living with the caregiver who helped Bob daily at home and built a special bond with the dog.

Despite the hardships Bob faced during his life, his legacy will be one of generosity and compassion. His memory will live on in the countless patients who will benefit from his selfless gift.