NO excuses.
The relentless pursuit of excellence.
And the courage to become your OWN hero.
Simon Keith can get you there.
Former pro athlete Simon Keith knows what it’s like to tough out the most dramatic surgery in the operating room and make a comeback—even after everyone said it was impossible.
The first athlete in the world to play a professional sport after undergoing a heart transplant, he was the #1 overall draft pick in the Major Indoor Soccer League just three years after his surgery.
But Simon’s legacy transcends sports.
After spending 15 years starting, growing, and selling multiple companies, he began to apply his competitive spirit and business acumen to push other leaders, teams, and enterprises past their limits. The result?
Multimillion dollar turnarounds at five consecutive companies.
Today, he helps companies drive unprecedented growth by maximizing the potential of their people.
With uncompromising focus, he sets high expectations for achieving results forged by his belief that, with determination, the best leaders can achieve ANYTHING they choose.
90 days.
That’s all it takes to change your entire trajectory.
Age 20, doctors diagnose Simon with a fatal heart disease and tell him he has six weeks left to live. At the time, he is one of the most talented young soccer players in North America and had been about to play for Canada in the 1986 World Cup.
Perilously close to death, he receives the gift of a heart donation.
Everyone tells Simon he’ll never be able to return to professional sports, but he is stubborn and determined beyond belief.
Following recovery from his surgery, Simon moves to Las Vegas to attend the University of Las Vegas.
He plays soccer for the UNLV Rebels and wins numerous awards, including the USA's Most Courageous Athlete.
Simon defies all odds to become the first person in the world to play a sport professionally after undergoing a heart transplant.
His refusal to give up on his dream leads to him being selected as the number one overall pick in the 1989 professional indoor soccer draft.
Simon travels to Wales to meet his heart donor’s family. On his return to the States, he gets involved with the organ procurement organization in Las Vegas, Nevada, initially sitting on the board of directors and then becoming chief operating officer.
He also starts The Simon Keith Foundation, which goes on to raise millions of dollars in support of formerly active children and young people who undergo organ transplants.
Simon is a recipient of the David Foster Foundation Visionary Award for National Humanitarian Leader of the Year.
Simon speaks at the White House as part of its inaugural Organ Summit.
He goes on to speak at the Canadian and British Parliaments and travel the world telling his story and inspiring others.
Simon undergoes a second successful heart transplant surgery along with a kidney transplant.
The order is the highest level of distinction in the Canadian Honors System.Simon is appointed for his inspirational advocacy of organ donation and for his dedicated support for transplant recipients.
In this ESPN interview, hear Simon’s amazing journey to become the first person in the world to play a professional sport with a transplanted heart.
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