Illinois State Troopers Help Deliver Heart for Transplant Recipient

A group of medical professionals were driving the heart to an area hospital when their car broke down

A pair of Illinois state troopers are being honored as heroes after they helped a group of medical professionals deliver some incredibly precious cargo.

The group of professionals, a surgeon, transplant coordinator and a medical student, were driving on Interstate 55 near Throop Street on Tuesday when their car got a flat tire. When Troopers Cibrian and Snisko arrived to help, they realized that the medical professionals were transporting something very important: a heart that was needed for a transplant operation at the University of Chicago Medical Center.

Realizing that time was of the essence, the troopers brought the three passengers and their precious cargo to the hospital in time for a successful surgery.

“Time is of the essence when it comes to transplant surgery,” Ashley Heher, director of media relations at the hospital, said in a statement. “There is about a four-to-six hour window of time for a heart to remain viable for surgery and the team had already been traveling for approximately three hours.”

According to the Illinois State Police, the transplant recipient is currently recovering after their surgery, and the troopers are being hailed for their heroism.

“Our troopers were able to turn a potentially bad situation into a thankful ending for at least one family this Thanksgiving holiday,” Interim Captain Angelo Mollo said in a statement. “I am extremely proud of our officers who acted without hesitation in this life-saving transport.”

According to the state police, the troopers involved in the special delivery were classmates at the ISP Academy and graduated in August of 2018.

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