Saved Teen Returns as Lifesaving Colleague

Quick Smiles:

• Mesfin Yana, once a patient from Ethiopia, is now a medical professional aiding others.
• Surgeons and their families showed extraordinary kindness, helping Mesfin find new life in the US.
• Mesfin now gives back by assisting with surgeries for children in Ethiopia.

Mesfin Yana’s journey began in an Ethiopian village, where the kindness of strangers, including cardiothoracic surgeon Jim Kauten, changed his life forever. After facing life-threatening heart problems as a young boy, Mesfin traveled to Atlanta for surgery, an opportunity funded by charitable groups and supported by dedicated hosts.

Another American doctor, Rick Hodes, helped save Mesfin’s life not once, but twice, ensuring he received the care he needed to survive. Mesfin recovered thanks to these acts of generosity and went on to build a new life in the United States.

“I’m always grateful,” Mesfin told the Washington Post. “I’m grateful for my family, for just being in the United States. It’s a resurrection for me. You know, I was once lost, dead, and I was resurrected and I’m living a new life.”

With his new lease on life, Mesfin studied at Georgia State University, met his wife Lyerusalem, and now has two children. He became a perfusionist and works at the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota, operating vital equipment during complex heart surgeries.

Never forgetting his roots, Mesfin travels to Ethiopia to assist with surgeries through the charity Heart Attack Ethiopia. On a recent trip, he reunited with Dr. Kauten, now as a colleague and fellow healer.

“That was especially nice in my mind,” Dr. Kauten said. “For him to be able to pay back to his community services that he received in the United States, and he was able to pay it back in Ethiopia.”

Mesfin’s language skills and empathy serve as a bridge between volunteer surgeons and patients, helping young children feel comfortable and understood. Today, he and his family continue to embody thankfulness and generosity in their daily lives.

Stories like Mesfin’s remind us that acts of kindness can change lives and ripple outward, inspiring hope and new beginnings.

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