Twins great Rod Carew getting heart transplant
There may finally be a new "Heart of 29."
The American Heart Association announced Thursday that former Minnesota Twins star Rod Carew is set to receive a heart transplant, more than a year after a massive heart attack nearly killed him.
Doctors also plan to replace one of Carew's kidneys to ease his recovery.
Los Angeles-based KCAL9 originally reported that Carew and his wife were notified late Wednesday night about an available donor heart, while the AHA later confirmed the news in a press release.
“We appreciate your thoughts and prayers for Rod and the medical team,” Carew's wife Rhonda said in a statement released by the AHA. “At the same time, our sympathy and appreciation goes to the donor’s family.”
Twins president Dave St. Peter expressed the team's admiration for Carew.
"We collectively share our thoughts and prayers with the family of the donor, Rod, Rhonda and the entire Carew family," he said.
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Carew was originally fitted with a Left Ventricular Assist Device following open-heart surgery, a stopgap measure aimed at buying the ailing slugger time as he awaited a transplant.
Dubbing the device and its external components "Honey," Carew made several references to the bag as he awaited a transplant, referring to it as a part of his new "bionic life" during an appearance last winter.
But Carew hasn't spent the past year sitting around.
The Hall of Famer worked with the Minnesota Twins to establish the year-long "Heart of 29" campaign, a fundraising and awareness effort benefitting the American Heart Association.
An 18-time All Star and seven-time American League batting champion, Carew played for the Twins from 1967-78 and was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1991.
