11 Year Old Anthony Herman of Marshall Gets New Heart For the New Year

For 11 year old Anthony Herman of Marshall, 2014 is starting off with a huge blessing and miracle.  Young Anthony welcomes the new year with a new heart! Anthony received his new heart yesterday in Dallas at Children's Medical Center.   Anthony has suffered since birth from aortic valve stenosis, which is a narrowing of a major valve that restricts his blood flow. Before his transplant, Anthony had open heart surgery nine times in his young life.

The Children's Organ Transplant Association helped Anthony's family raise the $60,000 needed to pay for the transplant. In October, Anthony was moved up on the transplant list from a status of 7 to 1A. A1 is the highest priority for patients needing a heart.

Anthony and his family got word of the available heart yesterday morning and headed to Dallas and Children's Medical Center for the procedure.

According to the Anything for Anthony Facebook page, Anthony went into the operating room around 5:30 p.m. Wednesday. The family received the good news last night that the donor heart was good and the procedure could begin. The surgery took 8 hours.

In honor of the heart passed on to Anthony, Reunion Tower usually lighted up in it;s normal fashion, was lit up instead with a heart.

Everybody here at KNUE wishes Anthony a speedy recovery and our prayers will continue for Anthony, his family and for the donors family too! God bless you Anthony!