Patient’s song climbed to #1 on country charts

Adam Dorsey, a patient of transplant surgeon Dr. Richard Mangus, co-wrote a song that was recorded by country music artist Craig Morgan. The song climbed to the No. 1 spot on the Billboard Hot Country Singles Chart.

If Adam Dorsey knows anything about life, it’s this: Things don’t always happen according to plans.

He grew up in Southern California with a big dream – to become a famous country singer. At the age of 18, he moved to Nashville, Tenn. By his senior year at Tennessee State University as a music business major he was well on his way to accomplishing his dream. After graduation he signed his first publishing deal and also married his wife Christi. In addition to writing songs he performed his original music alongside other up-and-coming musicians at such Nashville hot spots as Douglas Corner Café and the Bluebird Café. Over the years he’s written hundreds of songs.

“At a young age, I fell in love with the music of Garth Brooks. I studied his work line for line and when I got tired of playing other people’s stuff, I started writing my own,” said Dorsey, who has met Brooks on more than one occasion.

But the music industry wasn’t an easy road. For seven years, Dorsey faced rejection. But in November of 2004, a small independent label, called Broken Bow Records released the first single from country singer Craig Morgan’s album: “That’s What I Love About Sunday.” The song was co-written by Dorsey and Mark Narmore. On March 26, 2005, the song reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles Chart and remained in that spot for several weeks.

The triumph came at a time when the Dorseys were facing other life-changing experiences. They were adopting their first child, and Christi was diagnosed with accelerated liver disease and added to the transplant list of a Nashville hospital. She received a transplant in May of 2009. The couple has since added two more children to their family.

Adam Dorsey had no idea back then that he would one day be a patient of IU Health transplant surgeon Dr. Richard S. Mangus, who specializes in liver, intestine and multi-organ transplants. Dorsey was originally diagnosed at another hospital with chronic intestinal pseudo obstruction – a blockage of the intestine. He was referred to Dr. Mangus for evaluation and consultation.

“We’re hoping to avoid a transplant,” said Dorsey. His mom Nancy Dyer joined him during his stay in Indianapolis. “I love Dr. Mangus. I can tell he’s very intelligent, knowledgeable in his field and a straight shooter with dry sense of humor,” said Dorsey.

For most of his life, Dorsey has believed that his plan is in God’s hands. In 2005 he felt called into the ministry. In May 2005, Dorsey and his wife, and their newly adopted son moved from Nashville to New Orleans where Dorsey enrolled in New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary. Again, Dorsey said the plans were out of his control. Hurricane Katrina hit three months after they moved and flooded their home and wiped away all of their belongings. They packed up and moved to Christi’s hometown of Louisville where Dorsey completed seminary in 2007.

They spent several years serving as missionaries in Canada establishing churches in Newfoundland and Labrador. When Dorsey became ill in 2015, they moved to Charleston, Ind. to be closer to family.

“I don’t know what is ahead but I know I am in good hands with Dr. Mangus,” said Dorsey. “Everything that’s happened in our lives has been by the grace of the Lord.”

— By T.J. Banes, Journalist, IU Health.
Reach Banes via email tfender1@iuhealth.org.