TAMPA, Fla. — Transplant Houses on Davis Islands are back open after severe flooding from Hurricane Helene forced them to close.

What You Need To Know

  •  Hurricane Helene flooded the two patient transplant houses

  •  Home away from home for transplant patients & their caregiver

  •  Patients & caregiver stay close to TGH free of charge

  • Funding & donations from Community Foundation & Rooms to Go helped furnish the homes

There are two houses available for organ transplant patients and their caregivers to stay free of charge as they recover from transplant surgery. This keeps them close to the TGH for follow-up appointments, treatments and physical therapy.

“Just knowing that we can help those patients in such a scary time and hoping that they feel a little bit less stressed, it’s just a feeling like no other quite honestly,” said Haley Miller, Director of Corporate Partnerships with TGH Foundation. Miller says patients come from across the state of Florida, most live more than one hour away.

That’s the case for Antonio Rivera and his wife & caretaker, Carmen from Palm Bay.
“I had a kidney and heart transplant on April 27th of this year,” said Antonio, who suffered from congestive heart failure and is grateful to be close to the hospital as he recovers from his surgery. The couple is getting settled in after arriving less than one week ago.

“It has made me adapt to what it’s going to be like when I finally get home,” said Antonio, who is expected to head home at the end of June.

The homes had been closed since Hurricane Helene hit in 2024. They re-opened in May 2025.
Funds from Community Foundation Tampa Bay and donations from Rooms to Go helped furnish the houses after TGH finished repairs.

The Riveras say they are thankful to have a home away from home.
“If it wasn’t for this place, we would probably be having a hard time,” said Antonio, who is grateful for not having to travel back and forth from Brevard County.
The couple also finds it comforting to connect with others on their own road to recovery.

“We’ve become a family,” said Antonio of the two other patients and their caregivers staying in the home.

The three-bedroom house has a shared kitchen and living quarters and a screened porch.
“This gives you the opportunity to actually have conversations not dealing with medical terms or illness or pain,” said Antonio.

TGH Transplant Institute currently ranks number one in the nation for transplants, completing 889 surgeries in 2024.