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ESPN's Jeremy Schaap was among those who received a text from Matt Millen on Dec. 23 that read, "It's on!" followed by a heart emoji.
Millen, who had been hospitalized since Oct. 1 awaiting a heart transplant, received word that night about a heart match. The transplant was performed early Christmas Eve at Newark Beth Israel Medical Center.
Schaap and an ESPN crew had been following Millen's transplant process, the result of his battle with amyloidosis, a rare disease that attacks organs and diminishes their functions. They chronicled Millen's wait, the procedure and his recovery.