Bonnie Rhoner has a new heart. And a gold medal on her mind.
The 67-year-old Canton woman — a heart transplant recipient and, frankly, an absolute unit — is packing her bags for Denver this month to compete in the 2026 Transplant Games of America. It’ll be her second time suiting up for Team Georgia at the biennial event, which brings together thousands of transplant recipients, living donors, and donor families from across the country for six days of competition, connection, and more than a few tears.
Last time, Rhoner made it to the games. This time, she wants hardware.
“I have been training hard this year — it would be great to have a medal,” she said.
And she’s not just showing up hoping for the best. Rhoner plays pickleball four times a week and mixes in basketball, volleyball, and table tennis to stay sharp. That’s not a hobby. That’s a training regimen. For a 67-year-old heart transplant patient. Let that sink in for a second.
The Transplant Games have been bringing this community together since 2012, giving people whose lives were changed forever by organ donation a chance to celebrate what they’ve been given — and to remind the rest of us what that gift actually means. Thousands of athletes compete across more than 20 events, each one carrying a story you probably couldn’t make up.
Bonnie Rhoner’s story is one of them. Go get that medal, Bonnie.
Canton heart transplant patient headed to Transplant Games of America https://t.co/oVc7hh3ErH
— Atlanta News First (@ATLNewsFirst) June 5, 2026
