BURLINGTON, NC – Albert Jefferies, AKA ALJ, will be honored at the Triangle Heart Ball Saturday evening.
The now 14-year-old was diagnosed with dilated cardiomyopathy around the ages of 4 months and struggled with a weak heart for most of his life.
In March of 2016, ALJ, was finally approved for a transplant and has since undergone surgery.
A video of ALJ finding out he would receive a new heart went viral after it was posted on Facebook.
The Open Your Heart moment will feature his journey to a new heart at the ball in Raleigh.
"Over 650 guests will enjoy an evening of dinner, dancing, and live and silent auctions to raise funds for the fight against cardiovascular disease, our nation’s No. 1 killer.." according to the association's media release.
AlJ and his mom, Tina Turner, were able to meet the donor family and were featured on the Ellen Degeneres show. The Ellen Show surprised the pair with a vacation to Hawaii. The family later spilt the gift with their donor family.
The Triangle Heart Ball hopes to raise $1 million dollars for the first time in its 32-year history to support heart disease and stroke research and education. Only 8 Heart Balls across the country have hit the $1 million mark. The American Heart Association funds more than $9 million in cardiovascular disease research projects in the Triangle area at institutions such as Duke University, University of NC at Chapel Hill, and NC State University as well as across the state.
