2005 Merchandise & Miscellaneous News Archives

July 22, 2005: Baby Kal-El Gets New Heart

While not exactly about Superman, I thought this story from the Redlands Daily Facts website was worth while reporting on just the same...

    After more than three months spent waiting for a lifesaving donor heart, the boy named after Superman has been given a second chance.

    Kal-El Villatoro received a donor heart Tuesday morning.

    "He is stable and he is progressing," said Kay Ogata, cardiac transplant coordinator at Loma Linda University Medical Center. "I am very optimistic."

    He is sedated and quietly recovering and will likely be in the hospital for two weeks, she said.

    "We will take it one day at a time," she said.

    Kal-El was born May 22 with hypoplastic left heart syndrome. The structural heart deformity meant the boy would need a heart transplant to survive.

    Following an ultrasound, his parents, Alba and Jose, were sent to Loma Linda University Medical Center, where he has been since birth. Jose wanted to give the boy the birth name of the fictional character because he knew his son would have to be strong for the battle for his life that lay ahead.

    He has been on the list waiting for a heart since April.

    "We don't like to wait that long," said Ogata.

    Monday afternoon, his parents finally heard the news they had been waiting for a donor heart was available for their son.

    They rushed back to the hospital. A number of tests were performed before then transplant. It had been three weeks since the boy went into cardiac arrest.

    "But he was holding his own," said Jose.

    After waiting with friends and family during the more than four-hour surgery performed by Dr. Nahidh Hasaniya, a cardothoracic surgeon, Jose said they saw their son.

    "It was overwhelming and exciting at the same time," he said. "We are excited and emotionally tired."

Read the entire article at the Redlands Daily Facts website.



2005 Merchandise & Miscellaneous News

Listed below are all the Merchandise & Miscellaneous News items archived for 2005.


Back to the News Archive Contents page.

Back to the Latest News page.