Kansas Teen Heart Transplant Patient Received Restored 1965 Mustang
Living life as a transplant patient isn’t easy. Ever since 15-year-old Ayden from Kansas City, Missouri needed a new heart, it’s been a string of doctor’s appointments, hospital visits, and surgeries to ensure his new heart is beating strong. One bright light during this time period was his mother’s 1965 Mustang. Ayden, a car lover himself, planned to eventually restore that piece of automotive history, but he didn’t have the funds to do so.
Thanks to Mustang Racing Technology’s amazing work, his dream of driving that classic Mustang became a reality.
Ayden’s Heart Failure
Hearts in young teens are expected to work well. When Ayden’s heart stopped functioning properly, seemingly without cause, it was a race against time to get him to the hospital. After he arrived at Children’s Mercy Hospital, he was diagnosed with dilated cardiomyopathy, which reduces the heart’s ability to pump blood due to a defect in the left ventricle.
Ayden and his parents were told that he needed a heart transplant to have any possibility of survival. Shortly after Valentine’s Day in 2016, he received the transplant. And he’s been healing well. In the six months since the transplant, Ayden returned to school and started participating in cross-country running again, conditioning his new heart to fit in his body.
An Unexpected Gift
Recently, Ayden was invited back to Children’s Mercy Hospital where his transplant took place. He thought he was there to thank the doctors and nurses who worked so hard to save his life, but he was in for an enormous surprise.
When he walked out of the hospital, his fully restored 1965 Mustang was waiting for him. Thanks to Scott Hoag and the crew at Mustang Racing Technology, the car received new brakes, a new suspension, and a new interior to make it look like new.
Make-A-Wish for Mustangs
This isn’t the first time a patient received a restored Mustang after completing treatment. It’s now becoming a bit of a trend. Nineteen-year-old Kodi has been battling T-Cell Lymphoblastic Lymphoma since his diagnosis on his 17th birthday. While he is progressing very well, he still has a long road to recovery. The Make-a-Wish Foundation made that trip a little shorter by restoring his 1970 Mach 1 Mustang to its former glory.
Quite a bit of work went into this one as well, including replacing the interior and some of the body parts and sheet metal that may have been rusted beyond repair. Overall, the beauty of the restored car pales in comparison to the look of sheer joy on Kodi’s face when he sat behind the wheel for the first time. That, alone, makes the entire experience worthwhile.
Sometimes all you need to help you recover is a good team of doctors and a wish. When it comes to wishes, there’s nothing quite like a fully restored Mustang appearing before you as if someone waved a magic wand. Seeing the smile on someone’s face when handed the keys is proof that joy can help in healing.
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Via [KCTV 5]
