INTERVIEW WITH THE TWO MEN.



TRANSCRIPT: FIERRO: "... BEFORE COMING DOWN HERE I COULDN'T WALK FOUR OR FIVE STEPS. TODAY I AM JUMPING AROUND BACK IN THE OLD TIME NEW YORK BALLROOM DANCING, WHICH I ENJOY. AND I COULDN'T WALK MORE THAN FOUR OR FIVE STEPS, BUT TODAY IT SEEMS LIKE I COULD GO ON FOR MILES AND MILES."



REPORTER: "IS THERE EVER A FEELING OF STRANGENESS, PARTICULARLY BECAUSE IT IS AN ORGAN FROM SOMEONE ELSE?"



THOMAS: "NO, SIR, I WOULD LIKE TO EXPLAIN IF I MAY THE WAY I PERSONALLY FEEL ABOUT IT, HAVING GONE THROUGH THIS EXPERIENCE. IT IS SOMEWHAT OF A MIRACLE TO ME THAT MEDICINE HAS COME THIS FAR. I FEEL THAT THE HEART IS A PUMP, LIKE A FUEL PUMP ON AN AUTOMOBILE. I HAD A RUN DOWN CAR WHEN I CAME IN HERE AND THEY PUT A NEW FUEL PUMP ON MY CAR, AND I AM GOING OUT WITH A FIRST CLASS FUEL PUMP. IT IS STILL MY CAR AND MY FUEL PUMP. TO ME THE HEART TRANSPLANT IS THE GREATEST ADVANCE TO HUMAN SAVING OF LIFE THAT I CAN THINK OF, BECAUSE I AM CONCERNED WITH THIS, THAT IS WHY I FEEL THIS WAY. I HAVE GONE THROUGH IT, AND I AM VERY, VERY GRATEFUL. BECAUSE I HAVE A WONDERFUL FAMILY AND A LONG LIFE TO LIVE. I FEEL VERY STRONGLY ABOUT IT. I TEND TO GET A LITTLE EMOTIONAL OVER IT. THAT'S HOW STRONG I FEEL. ANYTHING YOU CAN DO TO HELP US EDUCATE PEOPLE TOWARDS THE OUTLOOK, TOWARDS THE HEART TRANSPLANT - THE GREATEST MECHANICAL THING THAT MEDICINE COULD OFFER YET, TO SAVE LIVES - AND WHAT IS MORE HUMANE THAN TO SAVE THEM? AND THAT IS THE WAY I LOOK AT IT, THE WAY I FEEL."




Initials



Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: AMERICA'S TWO SURVIVING HEART TRANSPLANT RECIPIENTS YESTERDAY (TUESDAY) STEPPED OUTSIDE OF THEIR STERILE HOSPITAL ROOMS TO HOLD A NEWS CONFERENCE.

LOUIS FIERRO, A NEW YORK CAR SALESMAN, RECEIVED HIS HEART ON MAY 3, AND THE SECOND MAN, EVERETT THOMAS, AN ACCOUNTANT, UNDERWENT TRANSPLANT SURGERY ON MAY 21.

THE TWO MEN ARE MEMBERS OF A GROUP OF SIX PEOPLE WHO HAVE SURVIVED HEART TRANSPLANT OPERATIONS, OF WHICH THERE HAVE SO FAR BEEN 21 IN VARIOUS PARTS OF THE WORLD.

THE TWO MEN WILL REMAIN IN HOSPITAL FOR SOME TIME. MR. FIERRO APPEARED LIGHT-HEARTED DURING THE NEWS CONFERENCE, AND TALKED OF TAKING UP AGAIN HIS PASTIME OF BALLROOM DANCING.

MR. THOMAS DISPLAYED OBVIOUS EMOTION DURING THE INTERVIEW, DESCRIBING HEART TRANSPLANT OPERATIONS AS A 'MIRACLE OF MEDICINE'.