July 2021:

Danny Martin was intentional about the gifts he gave Debbie Shriner the first time they met near her home in Nassau County, Fla. In one hand, he held two dozen roses that symbolized the gratitude he felt toward Debbie and her son, Branden, an organ donor from whom Danny received a kidney and heart.

Draped around Danny’s neck was another gift, a stethoscope he imagined would strengthen his and Debbie’s bond for life. Debbie used the stethoscope to listen to her son’s heartbeat inside Danny.

The experience was unforgettable, and Danny and Debbie kept in touch. Months later and hundreds of miles apart, Danny wanted to do more to show his appreciation. He came up with a heartfelt idea while talking with a friend who is also an organ recipient.

“I called Debbie and asked her what kind of animals did your son like,” Danny said.

As it turned out, Branden had a pet tuxedo cat named Baxter who meant the world to him. They went everywhere together. Baxter passed away shortly after Branden became an organ donor.

“Branden and Baxter were inseparable,” Debbie said.

Hearing that, Danny went to a nearby Build-A-Bear Workshop where he stuffed a cat with fluff and dressed it in a tuxedo. He mailed it to Debbie’s home in Fernandina Beach.

“Right away she fell in love with the cat and cuddled with it,” Danny said.  He texted Debbie to make sure she had received his gift.

Months passed before Danny and Debbie talked again. Then on Mother’s Day, it occurred to Danny that he had forgotten to tell Debbie about the most important feature of the tuxedo cat he had made for her. This time, Danny called Debbie on the phone.

“Did you ever squeeze the paw of the cat?” he asked.

Danny had placed a voice recorder inside the stuffed animal. By squeezing the cat’s paw, Debbie was able to activate the sound of  Branden’s heartbeat.

“She fell out,” Danny said. “She knew right away what it was.”

For months, the tuxedo cat had been displayed on a shelf. All that time, its costume had concealed its true gift.

“I had no idea I was supposed to press the paw,” Debbie said. “It was wearing boots, so I just hadn’t thought about it.”

Debbie said tuxedo cat has a permanent home in Branden’s bedroom, which doubles as a guest room for family and friends. Occasionally, she will listen to Branden’s heartbeat in its new home.

“Hearing Branden’s heartbeat means a lot,” Debbie said. “I go in there and listen to it sometimes. It’s always like, ‘aw.’ People are always like, ‘aw.’”