U.S. & World

Ugandan Heart Surgery Recipient Recovering

Exclusive Update On Jonathan Olunga's 'Gift Of Life'

NEW YORK (CBS) ― CBS 2 has an update on the little boy from Uganda who underwent life-saving heart surgery in New York. It's a "Gift of Life" that goes far beyond the operation.

He's the 10,000th child to be saved thanks to doctors and families who donate their time.

Jonathan Olunga underwent open heart surgery just two days ago, but was kind enough to muster the energy for a quick chat.

"I'm feeling good," Jonathan said.

It took four hours to repair a massive hole in Jonathan's heart.

"His hear was extremely large, about the size of a volleyball, from this huge hole in the middle of it," Dr Samuel Weinstein, of Children's Hospital of Montefiore, said. "[A hole] so big that he could literally have put his fist right through it."

While Jonathan needs lots of rest, Dr. Weinstein says he'll now be able to run around like every other 11-year old.

He'll need that energy to keep up with 4-year-old Marco Mazzei, the youngest member of his "gift of life" host family who volunteered to take care of him in Manhasset during his visit.

Grace Agwaru was the first Gift of Life child 33 years ago. She was five years old when she received the life-saving surgery.

She's now 38 and helps find other children who need help. Jonathan now says he plans to be a doctor who fixes hearts.

"We are healing the heart of the child, but this goes along where the children develop this love that they've received," Agwaru said. "It expands in them. It makes them feel like they need to give back."

The folks at Gift of Life say Jonathan is now part of their family, and while he heads home to Uganda in the next few weeks, they're already talking about bringing him back to New York in the coming years as an exchange student.

Amazingly, doctors say Jonathan may be released from the hospital as early as tomorrow. He and his mother will spend the next few weeks, with the Massei family as he continues his recovery.

For more information on Gift of Life, click on the link to the left called "Links and Numbers."

(© MMVIII, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)

---