NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — Steve Hilfiker and his four kids were in the middle of it all during Hurricane Ian.
Living in Fort Meyers, Florida, he said he saw Sanibel Island completely underwater. Local beaches are gone. Trees are down, and property is damaged everywhere. He said, luckily, his home just missed the worst of the destruction. Hilfiker and his family hunkered down during the storm Thursday, and even though they have been through plenty of hurricanes before, this was by far worse.
"The wind blows the rain through any cracks or crevices," said Hilfiker. "You have to mop the water up as the storm is happening. The wind is just howling, and it's scary; it was powerful. This is the strongest of any hurricane I've lived through."
None of this was going to stop him from going to Nashville, Tennessee, though, to see the Elton John concert Sunday night.
Hilfiker said that when he saw flights were canceled, he and his 19-year-old son knew instantly they were going to drive instead.
After cleaning up some debris and damage around their home, they hit the road Saturday morning. Huge areas of interstate and roads were closed down, making their already long trip longer, but they were just happy to be on their way.
Elton John is Hilfiker's favorite artist, but this was not just any trip to see an amazing live performance. He was planning to meet up with the sister of the man who gave him his new heart.
More than two years ago, Steve, who is in his 50s, had to get a heart transplant. He was diagnosed with a rare heart disease called cardiac sarcoidosis.
At that same time, 31-year-old Daniel Ray French was brain dead and on life support. French passed, and he was an organ donor, saving Hilfiker's life.
"On one end you have the grief and tragedy and pain of the death of a loved one," said Hilfiker. "And on the other side, my life, I was in a medically induced coma. I was in life support. I had near-death experiences. I got a second chance at life. I was essentially given a new life and born again."
Hilfiker met Daniel's sister, Vanessa Blais, soon after the transplant to hear her brother's heart. Then, Hilfiker asked her to go with him to see his favorite artist, Elton John, in Charlotte, Atlanta, Nashville, and last: L.A. She agreed.
At every concert, it became a tradition for Vanessa to listen to her brother's heart while Steve sings and dances to "Someone Saved My Life Tonight."
"I'm fist-pumping, we're holding our arms in the air, just praising," said Hilfiker. "I'm worshipping and praising the gratitude, the faith. I wouldn't be alive without my faith. And so, it's a combination of a faith moment. Thank you, Daniel. I'm screaming, 'thank you, Daniel.'"
The song "Daniel" by Elton John also has a very special meaning for Steve now.
Steve is filming these experiences for a documentary he is working on called "Stoneheart." His goal is to raise awareness about the importance of being an organ donor and to warn people of early detection of the heart disease that almost took his life. He also started a nonprofit called Hilfiker Life Missions to accomplish this and push for legislation for more research to be done about the disease.
