️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️  <unk> <unk> <unk> <unk> <unk> Fred Nelis, 60, of Holland, got a new heart, while 67-year-old Gordon Veldman of Pentwater, got a new pair of lungs. <unk> <unk> <unk> <unk> <unk> <unk> <unk> <unk> <unk> <unk> <unk> Nelis and Veldman have been close friends for over a decade, however their transplants were completely coincidental. Nelis and Veldman have been close friends for over a decade, however their transplants were completely coincidental. Incredible bond: Gordon Veldman and Fred Nelis have been friends for over a decade, but now consider themselves 'organ brothers' after each received a transplant from the same donor last June, saving their lives.<unk> Incredible bond: Gordon Veldman and Fred Nelis have been friends for over a decade, but now consider themselves 'organ brothers' after each received a transplant from the same donor last June, saving their lives.<unk> Incredible bond: Gordon Veldman and Fred Nelis have been friends for over a decade, but now consider themselves 'organ brothers' after each received a transplant from the same donor last June, saving their lives. ️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk> ️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️ Medical director of the heart and lung transplant program at Spectrum Health says it was the program's first simultaneous friend-transplant that he's aware of.<unk> Medical director of the heart and lung transplant program at Spectrum Health says it was the program's first simultaneous friend-transplant that he's aware of. It's pretty wild,<unk> Dr. Michael Dickinson told The Grand Rapids Press. <unk> It's pretty wild,<unk> Dr. Michael Dickinson told The Grand Rapids Press. ️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️ It's nice for us because it kind of shows the growth of the program - that we were able to help both of these two friends right here in West Michigan.<unk> Both men suffered from chronic conditions that caused their health to rapidly deteriorate before their transplants.<unk> Both men suffered from chronic conditions that caused their health to rapidly deteriorate before their transplants.<unk> Both men suffered from chronic conditions that caused their health to rapidly deteriorate before their transplants. Nelis has been suffering for 20 years with idiopathic cardiomyopathy - a progressive heart disease with an unknown cause. Nelis has been suffering for 20 years with idiopathic cardiomyopathy - a progressive heart disease with an unknown cause. ️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️ " Organs brothers ": Godron Veldman (left) and Fred Nelis (right) say they now put their heart and lungs together every time they see each other to show how grateful they are for their transplants. <unk> <unk> <unk> <unk> <unk>
Gordan Veldman, 67, and Fred Nelis, 60, are friends of over 10 years.<unk> Gordan Veldman, 67, and Fred Nelis, 60, are friends of over 10 years.<unk> <unk> <unk> <unk> <unk> <unk> <unk> <unk> <unk> <unk> <unk> <unk> <unk> <unk> <unk> Nelis was diagnosed with idiopathic cardiomyopathy 20 years ago. Nelis was diagnosed with idiopathic cardiomyopathy 20 years ago. Both received a call on June 18, 2014, that a donor had been found.<unk> Both received a call on June 18, 2014, that a donor had been found. <unk> <unk> <unk> <unk> <unk> <unk> <unk> <unk> <unk> <unk> <unk> <unk> <unk> <unk> <unk> <unk> <unk> <unk> <unk> <unk> <unk> <unk> <unk> <unk> <unk> <unk> <unk> <unk> <unk> <unk> <unk> <unk> <unk> <unk> <unk> <unk> <unk> <unk> <unk> <unk> <unk> <unk> <unk> <unk> <unk> <unk> <unk>