Arizona Man Celebrates 5 Years After Historic COVID Transplant
Arthur Sanchez flatlined twice from COVID-19 and became one of the first Americans to receive a double lung transplant for virus damage. Five years later, he's walking his daughter down the aisle and holding his grandchildren.
Arthur Sanchez has celebrated five years of moments he thought he'd never see after becoming one of the first COVID-19 patients in America to receive a lifesaving double lung transplant.
In early 2020, the virus ravaged Arthur's lungs so severely that he, his sister, and brother-in-law were all hospitalized simultaneously. His brother-in-law didn't survive, and Arthur's own heart stopped beating twice during his 93-day fight on an ECMO machine at a New Mexico hospital.
"There were times at UNM hospital that I had flatlined a couple of times, and so, they brought me back," Arthur remembered. Even after doctors weaned him off the life support machine, his lungs remained too damaged to support life.
His medical team reached out to Dignity Health St. Joseph's Norton Thoracic Institute in Phoenix with a groundbreaking proposal. Within two weeks of his arrival, they found a donor match for Arthur's double lung transplant.
"Art was one of the first few in the country to get transplanted for post-COVID fibrosis and I think in fact he is the first one in the western United States," said Dr. Ashwini Arjuna, his lung transplant pulmonologist. The medical team was navigating uncharted territory, still learning about the virus as they worked to save lives.
In April 2020, Arthur received his new lungs at St. Joseph's Hospital and Medical Center. The surgery gave him back everything he thought was lost.
Sunny's Take
Five years after surgery, Arthur has witnessed his family grow in ways that fill him with gratitude. He walked his youngest daughter down the aisle, welcomed one grandchild, and has another on the way.
"Every moment I have now going forward has always been great, because I'm here," Arthur said. Dr. Arjuna and the Norton team look forward to his annual checkups, which have become joyful reunions celebrating his remarkable recovery.
Arthur's journey reminds us that even during our darkest chapters, medical innovation and human determination can write happy endings.
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Based on reporting by Google: survivor story
This story was written by BrightWire based on verified news reports.
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