OMAHA, NE (WCMH) – A tragedy that took a 14-year-old boy’s life and give an older man a second chance at life four years ago has united two strangers.

In 2012, Calen Grace accidentally shot himself with a gun that he thought didn’t work. His heart was given to Joe Hansen, a man who was born with a bad heart and who was near death.  On Friday, Joe and Calen’s mom, Dawn, met for the first time.

“I need to see who it was that God chose and I’m not going to lie to you, I wanted to hear his heartbeat really bad,” Dawn said. She told WOWT that hearing that heartbeat helps her remember her son.

“Calen was a very giving soul, he was very funny, he loved to fish. He could fish for hours. He loved to spend time with his family. He was a big family boy. He would still sit in my lap at 14 years old. His nickname was ‘Toodle Bug.’ He was my ‘Toodle Bug.’”

Joe Hansen says the transplant saved and changed Joe’s life. He received Calen’s heart after doctors gave him just two years to live.

“When I open my wallet, He’s the very first thing I see. Him and I, we talk quite a bit,” Joe told WOWT. “Because of Calen, I’m in college now and I’m back to work, back to the company that I used to work for.”

Joe and Dawn hope to see each other occasionally and keep the connection going.

“He says all the time, I hope I’m not a disappointment,” Dawn said. “No, you’re not a disappointment. You were chosen, you were chosen by God and I would never be disappointed. Calen’s happy, he’s happy, I’m happy. We’re both very happy together. “What others are clicking on: