After living for six weeks with a pig heart transplant, the second-ever recipient of the experimental organ donation has died.
Lawrence Faucette, 58, a Navy veteran from Frederick, Maryland, was suffering from fatal heart disease when he underwent the Sept. 20 surgery. He passed away on Oct. 30.
“We grieve the loss of Mr. Faucette, a remarkable individual who was not only a patient but also a scientist, Navy veteran, and devoted family man. His deepest desire was simply to have more time with his beloved wife, sons, and family,” stated Bartley Griffith, the surgeon who conducted the groundbreaking pig heart transplant at the University of Maryland Medical Center, in a press release.
Faucette’s procedure provided him with an extended lease on life that would not have been possible through a traditional heart transplant, as he was initially deemed ineligible. In a previous report by The Associated Press, it was noted that Faucette was cracking jokes with doctors a mere 48 hours after the life-changing transplant.
According to medical staff, Faucette’s ultimate hope was to serve as an inspiration for patients worldwide who are in need of such groundbreaking surgeries. After living for six
“Mr. Faucette’s final wish was for us to use the knowledge gained from our experience to ensure that others facing a lack of available human organs for transplant have a chance for a new heart. He expressed his love for the team of doctors and nurses who surrounded him, and his absence will be deeply felt,” added Griffith.