Scot Pollard was standing in Gasoline Alley at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and trying not to cry.
The NBA champion and "Survivor" contestant was talking about meeting the family of Casey Angell, whose heart was now beating inside Pollard's chest. Angell's sister brought a stethoscope.
"She touched my chest. She listened and she started crying. She said, 'Hey, Bubba,' because that's what she used to call him," Pollard said. "And we all lost it. And I'm losing it right now."
A first-round draft pick who took Kansas to the NCAA Sweet 16 four years in a row and won it all with the 2008 Boston Celtics, Pollard was virtually bedridden by 2024, unable to walk around the block or even conduct an interview without needing a rest because of a virus that had weakened his heart.
Since receiving the life-saving transplant last winter, he has dedicated himself to raising awareness of organ donation , a mission that earned him the honor of serving as the Grand Marshal for the Indy 500 Festival Parade on Saturday. Angell's family rode along on the float with him.