Shallotte man who received an artificial heart has been discharged from the hospital

DURHAM, N.C. (WWAY) — An update on a Shallotte man making history, after receiving an artificial heart transplant nearly 3 months ago, Matthew Moore is out of the hospital and reunited with his family.

Matthew Moore is back with his family, while he waits to get a full heart transplant, to replace the artificial heart he received in July at Duke University Hospital. He’s the first person in the nation to undergo this procedure.

“With my son here, and my wife, and it’s just been a blessing for sure,” said Matthew Moore.

Although Matthew Moore has been discharged from Duke University Hospital, he and has family have not returned to Shallotte.

Because he’s high risk, they have to rent a home within a 2-mile radius of duke.

Still on the heart transplant list, Moore is continuing with his rehabilitation,  preparing for the next steps to receive a heart transplant.

“He has to get stronger physically, and just get in a better physical state to be able to withstand the operation itself and for him to be as optimal as possible when he does receive the heart,” said Rachel Moore, Matthew Moore’s wife.

Moore’s wife Rachel says once he does receive a heart from a donor, the family will have to continue their temporary living conditions in Durham, for at least one month following the operation.

“We’ll have weekly appointments for biopsies and bloodwork following the transplant, and we hope after all is said and done we will make the three hour trip back to Shallotte, back to our home, where we belong,” said Rachel.

Matthew Moore’s family has created a GoFundMe to help with the journey from an artificial heart to a transplant, with a goal of raising $20,000. A friend of Moore’s is also selling t-shirts to raise additional money for the family, that say ‘Real Or Artificial The Love In His Heart Is Exponential.”