CIRCLE PINES, Minn. -- A Circle Pines man said he has many things to be thankful for after a deadly disease nearly took his life.
"Special blessings that have been given to me and I'm just so thankful for that," said Joel Heckman.
That's because not long ago, Joel didn't know whether he would live to see his next Thanksgiving.
Joel was once a police officer. A newly minted cop in 1985, he worked his way up the ranks to become chief of the Centennial Lakes Police Department.
"From the time I was a little child, I knew that I wanted to be a police officer," he said.
In 2004, everything changed. Joel was diagnosed with a potentially fatal autoimmune disease called sarcoidosis. The disease attacked his heart and lungs. There was no cause identified and no cure.
"From diagnosis to death with sarcoid in the heart is usually five years," said Joel.
Over time, Joel's condition got worse. He had to carry around a heart pumping machine to stay alive. The only thing that could save him was a transplant.
The call came in February 2009; a heart was available.
"It's a difficult situation to experience and yet, with my faith, I was very comfortable that no matter the outcome I was in good hands," he said.
After the transplant surgery and almost overnight, Joel went from near death to another chance at life.
As Joel regained his health, this former police officer couldn't stay away from the love of giving back.
He is also a man of great faith and found the perfect combination of both. This past September, after graduating from Bethel, Joel went back to the police department that meant everything to him to become the first chaplain at Centennial Lakes, helping people in their immediate time of crisis.
"I basically felt called to the chaplaincy as much as I felt called to the police profession," Joel said Thanksgiving morning.
Russell Blanck is Administrative Sergeant at Centennial Lakes. He is one of Joel's friends and so proud to serve with him again.
"It's a dream come true. Joel was a great chief and I was sad to see him retire, but I'm very glad to see him back in the capacity that he's in," said Blanck.
Joel has already responded to tragedies in his new role, a role more fulfilling than he could have ever envisioned.
So on this Thanksgiving Day, Joel Heckman is indeed thankful. His family and his community are, too, for a man with a new sense of life and a heart to serve.
"I just thank the Lord for giving me the opportunity to actually enjoy life," he said. "It is just a blessing to be alive."
Heckman has not yet been able to make contact with the family of his heart donor, but has written to them three times.
As a police officer, Heckman was named Minnesota investigator of the year in 1990.
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