10/20/2025
Meet Paul, a PF Warrior Who Shares His Story of Family and Faith
Paul was diagnosed with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) in 2019. His family’s connection to this disease goes back decades. His dad passed away from IPF in 1979 at only 55 years old, at a time when lung transplants weren’t even an option. His uncle also died from IPF in 1987. Years later, in 2019, Paul and his brother Steve were diagnosed with IPF. It felt like history was repeating itself.
“In October 2023, I visited my son in San Diego, and the steep decline began. I could barely drag my feet across the sandy beach without my oxygen saturation dropping into the low 70s, and my portable oxygen concentrator just couldn’t keep up with what my body needed.
After flying home, my wife noticed a distinct difference in me and how I was struggling to breathe. We went to the clinic the very next week, where they suggested that I start getting ready for the transplant testing.”
By January 2024, Paul’s oxygen saturation was not getting out of the 70s easily. He was hospitalized and treated with high-flow oxygen and IV antibiotics. His medical team told him he couldn’t go home until they found a reliable way to meet his high oxygen needs.
“I was prescribed liquid oxygen because it was the most dependable option for delivering the high-flow oxygen I required—about 12 liters per minute, continuously around the clock,” Paul recalls. “Knowing I had a steady supply of oxygen brought me peace of mind and helped ease the anxiety I had about running out.”
On February 14, 2024, Paul received the gift of new lungs. His recovery has had its share of ups and downs.
“After my transplant, my spirometry numbers improved steadily each week until May. When they dropped by more than 10%, my team admitted me to the hospital. It turned out to be an early sign of rejection, which can sometimes happen after transplant. After treatment, my lung function stabilized, and my team continued to follow me closely.”
Today, Paul says he feels blessed to have been given “additional breaths” and wants to use them wisely.
Following Paul's example, his brother Steve chose to move ahead with a lung transplant of his own in August 2024. Sadly, Steve’s journey was different. Complications followed, and he passed away that October. Losing his brother was heartbreaking, but Paul believes Steve’s passing was also a turning point that God used to keep shaping his own path.
Through all of this, Paul’s faith grew. He said that God used this time to open his eyes to places in his soul that needed healing, like pride, anger, shame, and fear. While his physical breath was declining, he says, “the freedom in my soul was on the incline.” His relationships with others and with God have become stronger.
{Photo Image: Paul with his wife Cathleen, who was and still is Paul's primary caregiver! This image was captured post-transplant in the ICU.
