South Florida teen has his birthday wish come true

  • 2016-12-29
Most teenagers wish for a day off from school, concert tickets or a new gaming system. South Florida teen Estefano Reano wished for the gift of life.

Luckily, the 14-year-old that was born with only one working chamber in his heart, received his wish, according to a WSVN.com article. The call came on the night of his birthday from the Pediatric Heart Transplant department at Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital to inform him that a donor heart was available.

The teen made the wish as he blew out his candles. In an amazing coincidence, the hospital called just 30 minutes later. Reano had already undergone five heart surgeries, but doctors were unable to improve his condition any further and a transplant was needed to save his life.

The surgery was a success and Reano is now able to experience life like never before. He is no longer restricted in his activities as he once was, and he has more energy than ever before. He is also free to travel and is hoping to travel to Peru to see his father. The young teen has not seen him in over five years.

Health centers like the Joe DiMaggio Children's Hospital often use this kind of story in their fundraising campaigns and donor drives to encourage future donations. A marketing campaign that included a booklet explaining this successful example could encourage people from nearby areas like Miramar to consider becoming a donor.