"Super Tom" celebrates his first birthday after life-saving heart transplant
ROCHESTER, Minn. – A Minnesota baby who got a second chance at life is celebrating a major milestone: his first birthday.
Last spring, WCCO caught up with the parents in Rochester shortly after Tom received his life-saving heart transplant.
"Our worst year ever, but also the best year ever because we have Tom," said his father Shlomo Kalman Hillel.
Scholo and his partner Matti came to the United States to adopt their children Emily and Tom being that same sex couples are now allowed to do so in Israel. But shortly after Tom was born, doctors discovered he had heart disease and would ultimately need a heart transplant to survive.
Tom spent months of his young life in the Intensive Care Unit, hooked up to machines and undergoing many surgeries. Then, on April 17, a donor gifted Tom with a new heart.
"I can never, ever thank you enough for what you did for us," said Shlomo to the guests at the party on Sunday.
Some of Tom's medical team – including his doctor, surgeon and longtime nurse – came to celebrate his birthday and his progress.
"It's nice to have a reunion like this to remind us that it's a privilege for what we do, and it's the kind of thing that keeps you motivated and keeps you going," said cardiovascular surgeon Dr. Joseph Dearani.
"Super Tom" is his nickname, for his strength to get to today, and for his journey ahead.
"He still has some things to, you know, work through and work on, but I mean he's growing well, he looks fantastic, so it's very encouraging," said Dr. Elizabeth Stevens, Mayo Clinic's associate professor of surgery.
Tom's story is a reminder of the importance of organ donors, and the opportunity to give others a second chance at life.
"Because of a parent that lost their son or daughter, we don't know, he's here with us today," said Shlomo.
"In Hebrew we have a saying, 'If you save one person, you save the whole world,'" said Matti.
