David Bennett Sr., the first recipient of a pig heart transplant, died March 8, 2022, at the age of 57. While doctors did not reveal his exact cause of death at the time, they shared that his health began to dip dramatically in the days leading up to his death.
Using animal organs for donations has been a goal for quite some time, but historically efforts have been complicated by the fact that the human body nearly immediately rejects such organs. Doctors hoped that altering the genes of the pig heart would help this particular operation succeed.
It seemed that at first their hopes were coming true. Video footage released showed Bennett seemingly recovering, and he was able to enjoy the 2022 Super Bowl from his hospital room. Unfortunately, that recovery did not last.
His surgeon, Dr. Bartley Griffith, noted, "We are devastated by the loss of Mr. Bennett. He proved to be a brave and noble patient who fought all the way to the end."
You can find out more about David Bennett's extraordinary experience in the video.
