(Dallas, Texas) What happens when a teenager on the brink of death chooses to turn his pain into purpose? You get Transplant Teenz—a growing community founded by 14-year-old heart transplant recipient, Micah Clayborne.
His story is not only medically miraculous—it’s a faith-fueled mission that’s already impacting lives around the country. But before there was a ministry, there was a moment of crisis.
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In December 2023, Micah came home from school like any other day—except something wasn’t right.
“Are you going back outside to play?” his mom, Dr. Brittany Clayborne, asked. Micah, a competitive tennis player, shook his head. “I’m having some chest pain.”
That comment turned into a doctor’s visit, which turned into something life-altering: Micah’s heart was functioning at just 7%. His medical team was stunned. How was this young athlete still alive, let alone running tennis drills every day?
What followed was an emergency surgery to place a pacemaker and defibrillator. The goal was simple: keep him alive long enough to talk about a heart transplant.
He made it. And then, something beautiful happened.
While recovering in the hospital, Micah asked his mom a question that would change everything:
“If you get a caregiver support group, when do I get mine?”
Dr. Clayborne searched. And came up empty.
“There were quarterly meetups for teens,” she explained, “but nothing consistent. No real community. Nothing like what Micah—and so many others—actually needed.”
When she gave him the news, his response was clear:
“Then I guess we need to make one.”
Out of that simple but powerful moment, Transplant Teenz was born—a digital and emotional support space for teens navigating organ transplants.
“Micah wanted a place where no one had to feel alone,” Brittany said. “A place where a teen could say, ‘I’m going through this—has anyone else?’ and someone could answer, ‘Yeah, me too.’”
With the support of Paragonix (creators of Micah’s beloved “Hope Boxes” that transport donor hearts), the Transplant Teenz app launched. Available now on both the Apple and Google Play stores, the platform functions like a private social network—complete with message boards, video sharing, interest groups, and virtual meetups.
Some days, the kids play games and just connect. Other days, they share fears, questions, side effects, or the deep emotional weight that comes with receiving a life-saving organ.
“It’s like COVID lockdown,” Brittany explained, “but you’re the only one locked down. Everyone else is living life—and you’re stuck, isolated. That kind of loneliness is hard to explain… unless you’ve lived it.”
Micah has. And now he’s leading the charge to make sure no other teen has to do it alone.
This isn’t just a story of medical triumph. It’s one of divine orchestration.
Micah’s mother also received a heart transplant in 2018 after suffering cardiac failure during labor—with Micah. At first, doctors assumed it was a pregnancy complication. But genetic testing later revealed that she and Micah both have Danon’s disease, a rare, inherited disorder affecting less than 400 people worldwide.
“Looking back, I realize my transplant prepared me to walk him through his,” she said. “It’s bittersweet… but I can now see how God used my pain to help my son.”
And faith has been the center of it all.
The Claybornes launched a prayer campaign early in Micah’s journey—asking loved ones to pray at 9:12 (his birthday) morning and night, declaring Scripture over his life.
“You will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.” (Psalm 27:13)
That verse wasn’t just hope—it was survival.
Even now, Micah starts each day by giving his mom a Bible verse before he’s allowed to use electronics. One morning, he came in with Esther 4:14:
“Who knows if perhaps you were made queen for such a time as this?”
He looked at her and said, “Mom… I think we’re here to help people. But it’s hard sometimes.”
“Yes, baby,” she replied. “But hard doesn’t mean we stop.”
The Claybornes ask for your prayers in three key areas:
- Wisdom and strength to grow the ministry with excellence.
- Provision—spiritually, emotionally, and financially—for every teen they serve.
- Open doors to share Christ in the middle of the healing process.
“We want Transplant Teenz to be a space where kids not only find hope—but where they find Jesus,” Brittany said.
Micah is heading into high school with a brand new heart and a brand new dream: sports medicine. Because even though he can’t play contact sports anymore, he wants to help others recover and return to the game.
“He told me, ‘Mom, I know what it feels like to want to play and not be able to. I want to help people get strong again.’”
This is more than a comeback story. It’s the beginning of a calling.
Micah’s name means “Who is like God?”—a question that echoes throughout Scripture.
And after hearing his story, the answer is clear:
No one is like our God.
He turns pain into purpose. Transplants into testimonies. And through the Clayborne family, He’s building a legacy of love, hope, and healing—one heartbeat at a time.
To learn more about Micah and Transplant Teenz, visit TransplantTZ.org or follow @TransplantTZ on Instagram and Facebook.