Darion Ferrell

Mr. Darion Ferrell of Akron-Summit County is a young man with a remarkable story of how God works through ordinary people like him, you, and I to accomplish extraordinary things in the world.   

Now 32-years-old, Darion Ferrell was diagnosed with cardiomyopathy in October of 2013 at the age of 19. Over the next decade-plus, he would experience multiple hospital stays due to complications with heart failure, multiple brain aneurysms, and strokes; all while pursuing and earning three college degrees (two of them from the University of Akron) and getting married. His time in the hospital resulted in several surgeries that ended with him having left-sided weakness and issues with his eyesight.

On October 21st of 2024, he went into the hospital with complications related to heart failure, when the Doctor reviewed all the testing he endured, she revealed that she was "starting the process for Darion to be added to the transplant list and that he would not go home until he received a new heart because his heart was functioning at 10%." He would go on to spend the next 90 days in the hospital, 80 of which were in ICU. He received a new heart on January 25, 2025 at the Cleveland Clinic.

Since receiving his new heart, he began to think of ways to use his story to help and inspire other people. He is humbly blessed and grateful to be where he is now in life, but wants to make a significant impact on as many people as possible throughout Ohio. This has prompted Darion to start a nonprofit organization. 

On June of 2025, the nonprofit was launch, known as Hearts & Minds Patient Advocacy Inc., became 501(c)(3) tax exempt. The idea of starting a nonprofit was first sparked by being asked by staff at the hospital would he consider volunteering once he completely recovered from surgery? The aspirations were that he could provide insight and words of encouragement to individuals waiting on a heart transplant (as well as other types of transplants or debilitating conditions) the way he once was.

The basis of the nonprofit is to provide advocacy and support to patients experiencing significant health challenges. Having persistent and consistent support when a patient is in and out of doctors' offices and hospitals while constantly having to keep up with a new diagnosis and/or changes in diagnosis, while also keeping up with appointments, can be overwhelming for most people.

What inspired Darion Ferrell to focus on this aspect of his health challenges was the unwavering support of friends and family. Particularly, his wife (Jasmyne) and his parents who were always there for appointments or when he spent time at the hospital. He often shares that "he doesn't know where he would be without them." He had an entire team behind him the whole way and he eagerly wants to provide others with advocates or a support team through his organization.  

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