In question: the blizzard which paralyzed an entire part of North America for several days
A 56-year-old American living in Alaska (USA) missed a heart transplant at the end of December because of the terrible storm Elliott. Suffering from congestive heart failure, he had recently registered on the lists for a transplant.
On December 22, he was called by the medical center in Seattle, Washington: a compatible heart donor had been found for him, reports CNN, relayed by Slate. In this kind of situation, it is crucial to proceed with the transplant as soon as possible. The 50-year-old therefore immediately reserved a place on a plane and went to the airport.
"They can't wait that long"
It was there that he learned that his flight had been canceled due to the terrible blizzard that was hitting the United States and Canada at the time. In view of his particular situation, the American was considered a priority and a place was found for him on the first flight leaving for Seattle.
But because of the storm, this plane was diverted and had to stop in Anchorage (Alaska). "At that moment, I tell myself that they have a heart for me, and I imagine that they can't wait that long," says the American. The longer we wait, the more the tissues decompose. »
Still hope
A few hours later, alas, the fifties indeed learned that the heart which was intended for him was going to be transplanted to someone else. No solution was possible for him: even by car, the journey represented more than 3,000 km, or 39 hours on the road.
The man explained that he felt like he was letting his family down by missing out on this opportunity. But the American remains optimistic: this first opportunity came only a few weeks after his registration on the lists. He therefore hopes to benefit from another transplant in the coming weeks or months.