Heart of Iron: My Journey from Transplant Patient to Ironman Triathlete

Throughout his life, Kyle Garlett hated nothing more than losing, and he knew early on that four diagnoses of cancer could not match his spirit of competition. His appetite for victory and his love of life pushed him over his health hurdles—including a bone marrow transplant, hip replacement, and heart transplant—and into the greatest challenge of his life: the Ironman World Championship. Kyle tells his amazing life story with clear-headed optimism and a winning sense of humor, beginning with his first diagnosis of lymphoma as a teenager and continuing through years of chemotherapy that destroyed his joints and weakened his heart. Not just about his health crisis but also about forging a remarkable life around cancer and his career as a sportwriter, the amazing friends and family who supported him, and finding love. After five and half years on the organ transplant waiting list then being gifted with a new heart, Kyle embarks on a challenge of his own making: to compete in the Ironman Triathlon, in which he competed not once but twice. His miraculous recovery and athleticism are recounted, along with the story of how he became an Olympic torch bearer, a devoted Lymphoma & Leukemia Society spokesperson, a motivational speaker, and an author. Heart of Iron is an invaluable companion for those affected by cancer and a breathtaking memoir about one man’s unstoppable spirit and success against all odds.