It's frustrating that none of the stories (at least the ones I've seen) mention that angle (why is the patient going to the heart rather than vice versa). I wouldn't say the story is completely implausible (maybe the donor is still on life support, or Alaska doesn't have an appropriate facility, or ???).
Another weird thing is that the stories -- at least the few I've read -- seem to be fully based on what the man said, not on any interviews with the hospital or the man's doctor. CNN seems to be hedging its bets a little by putting "man
says" in the headline.
(
The CNN story does suggest, near the end, that it all has to happen in Seattle, wherever the heart originates. Which does make it weird that the guy would be living several hours away even on a good day.)
It could be real (I certainly believed it), or it could be just another drama queen + lazy reporters = tomorrow's media scandal. It just doesn't seem like a fully reported story -- frustrating.