Las Vegas heart transplant recipient honored by Simon Keith Foundation

Exactly 11 days after receiving a heart transplant in September 2016, Brienna Love of Las Vegas left Primary Children’s Hospital in Salt Lake City not on a gurney or in a wheelchair, but walking, under her own power.

This should give ballplayers who go on the disabled list with hamstring strains something to think about.

The Canarelli Middle School student was the guest of honor at this year’s Simon Keith Foundation golf tournament and dinner at Revere Country Club benefiting children who have undergone lifesaving organ transplants. Keith, a former UNLV soccer star, was the first to a play a professional sport (indoor soccer) after receiving a heart transplant.

After suffering from flu-like symptoms, an echocardiogram revealed young Brienna’s heart was functioning at 20 percent capacity and that she would need a transplant. On the day of the golf outing, she was surprised by Keith, family members and former professional soccer player Chico Borja, a kidney transplant recipient, during a ceremony in math class.

Two days before that, Brienna made her school’s dance team. She also plays flag football.

“All of you guys started coming out with cameras, and I said, ‘Is this for me?’ ” the straight-A’s student said, wiping away a tear while clutching a bouquet of flowers after receiving an ovation from her classmates. “It’s very special. I’ve come so far, and all of my family has been so supporting of me. I had to be strong for them.”

Keith, who underwent heart transplant surgery at 21 and at 52 is one of the world’s longest surviving heart transplant recipients, said honoring 12-year-old Brienna Love to create awareness for organ donation was an easy decision.

“She just bounced back — a total beast,” he said. “We’re gonna keep doing our thing. Bring a little more Love into the Las Vegas Valley.”

Knights settle in

Remember when everybody complained about the Golden Knights’ name and their uniforms? About how tickets and parking cost too much? About how you couldn’t watch the games on TV?

Here we are, not even two weeks into the regular season. The name and uniforms seem fine now. You can find tickets for less than $30 for most Tuesday games on Stub Hub. There’s even free parking if you know where to look. And most local hockey fans not on DISH can watch the games on TV, even on Cox.

Sometimes people just like to complain about stuff.

But it’ll probably take another two weeks to get used to the kid in the Gila monster costume.

Feel the Thunder

After Detroit took a 5-3 lead Friday at T-Mobile Arena and the Golden Knights’ Erik Haula got into a fight with the Red Wings’ Tomas Tatar, longtime Las Vegas hockey fans might have recalled the old Las Vegas Thunder, who were known for playing old-time hockey until they fell behind by two goals in the third period.

At that point, they usually were known for dropping the gloves and fighting.

This was especially true if there were another home game the next night. Because whereas fans enjoy old-time hockey, they generally enjoy an old-time hockey fight, too.

During the 1995-96 season, the Thunder’s Sasha “Pitbull” Lakovic scored one goal and was assessed 416 penalty minutes. His fists sold a lot of tickets for the next night’s game against the Peoria Rivermen.

Easy money

With Alex Smith leading the NFL in quarterback rating, now would be a good time to dust off an old bar bet.

Name the only school to have the first player selected in the NFL and NBA drafts in the same season.

Michigan? UCLA? Notre Dame, perhaps?

Nope. Utah, then of the middling Mountain West Conference, now of the Pac-12.

Alex Smith was the first player taken in the 2005 NFL Draft, by the 49ers. Andrew Bogut was the first player taken in the 2005 NBA Draft, by the Bucks.

And if the guy sitting on the next bar stool says he can explain how the NFL quarterback rating is calculated, double or nothing, take the bet. Because nobody can explain how the NFL quarterback rating is calculated.

Contact Ron Kantowski at rkantowski@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0352. Follow @ronkantowski on Twitter.