TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WCTV) – A woman who spent her life giving back to people in need now has a need of her own \u2013 a heart transplant. <\/p>\n
Alexiss Grimes serves the community through her nonprofit, Continued Bessie\u2019s Blessings, which is named after her late grandmother, Bessie. <\/p>\n
Every year on the day after Christmas, Grimes spends countless hours cooking large pans of food to take to the Kearney Center so that people can have a free, hot meal. She also collects hygiene products and clothes to give to people in need. <\/p>\n
\u201cI met Alexiss in 2012, and we just, kind of, clicked,\u201d Sonia White said. She and Grimes have been best friends for years. \u201cShe\u2019s a giving person. She\u2019s a loving person, and she just welcomes you in,\u201d White said.<\/p>\n
In 2025, their friendship took a turn, as Grimes was diagnosed with Congestive Heart Failure. <\/p>\n
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\u201cThe doctor told her she\u2019s got to get on the transplant list, because eventually, her heart is going to fail,\u201d White said. \u201cI cried, cried, cried.\u201d <\/p>\n
White said Grimes was recently denied Medicaid, so she\u2019s raising as much money as possible to help pay for her upcoming heart surgery in April. That procedure is meant to help keep Grimes alive until she\u2019s able to receive a heart transplant, which could be anywhere from months to years away. <\/p>\n
She also said the gas getting back and forth to Gainesville has been a strain on Grimes and her family. For those interested in helping contribute to her medical costs, click here.<\/a><\/p>\n To keep up with the latest news as it develops, follow WCTV on Facebook<\/a>, Instagram<\/a>, YouTube<\/a>, Nextdoor<\/a> <\/a>and X<\/a> (Twitter<\/a>).<\/p>\n Have a news tip or see an error? Write to us here<\/a>. Please include the article\u2019s headline in your message.<\/p>\n Be the first to see all the biggest headlines by downloading the WCTV News app. Click here<\/a> to get started.<\/p>\n Copyright 2026 WCTV. All rights reserved.<\/p>\n