A teen boy, suffering from a heart disorder, gets the gift he asked for on his 14th birthday – a brand new heart. This is his wish-come-true story.
Estefano Reano, now 14, was born with a heart condition known as single ventricle heart defect. Since he was two he had gone through five open heart surgeries; his heart was getting weaker as he was growing up.
So a heart transplant was the inevitable truth. He had been put on the list of recipients for two years now.
Unlike other children his age, Estefan would tire easily and could hardly participate in any of the outdoor play activities. His appetite was poor and his lips were always purple due to lack of oxygen. Estefano yearned to be like other children.
When his 14th birthday arrived, he sat in front of the birthday cake, closed his eyes and made a wish before blowing out the candles. The wish “he prayed asking God to find him a donor.”
For young Estefano, the wish came true faster than he could have ever imagined. Exactly 40 minutes later, his stepfather Alfonso Ospino received a phone call. He then announced to Estefano “There is another gift waiting for you.” A heart – a perfect match based on size, age, and blood type — was available.
“I knew it was coming, but I didn’t know it was coming on my birthday. I remembered God is great, but I believe that even more now.” Says Estefan.
The surgery happened the very next day at the end of which all the surgeons and nurses suddenly stopped and turned to the camera. In unison, they sang “Happy Birthday,” – A birthday greeting and blessing Reano would treasure forever.
At a press conference on Tuesday at the Conine Clubhouse, located adjacent to JDCH, where Estefano and his family were reunited with the heart transplant team, Estefano said, “I am so happy to be here and I am so thankful to everyone.”
“I want to do many things like travel and I want to one day run a sanctuary for endangered animals. I thank the family for giving someone like me a second chance to live the life that I always wanted,” the little boy said in the press conference.
While, Maryanne R. K. Chrisant, M.D., Director, Pediatric Cardiac Transplant, Heart Failure & Cardiomyopathy at JDC said, “Estefano waited over two years for his heart.” “He and his family realize that receiving a heart transplant is a second chance for Estefano to lead a more normal life. Estefano is looking forward to returning to school, going out to play athletics and being outside with his friends. His successful course and future dreams coincide with our 30th transplant celebration.”
After two weeks, Reano left the hospital. “I feel very energetic, and very, very happy,” he says in the video below.
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