From Second Chances to Saving Lives: Three Heart Transplant Recipients Now Training in Medicine

DETROIT - Three Metro Detroit medical professionals always dreamed of careers in medicine, but becoming patients themselves gave those dreams new meaning.

All received a lifesaving heart transplant at Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit, home to the Henry Ford Transplant Institute, one of the nation's leading multi-organ transplant centers.

Erin Day, Joey Maniaci, and Mohamed El-Souri experienced cardiogenic shock, the most severe form of acute heart failure. Despite the odds, with survival rates between 30% and 50%, all three are now thriving and charting a journey in medicine guided by perspective few clinicians have: the lived experience of a transplant recipient.

Erin Day: A Sudden Diagnosis, A Second Chance

Erin Day was 25 years old and in her third year of medical school when her life changed in a matter of days.

What began as nausea and vomiting on a Monday quickly progressed to myocarditis, inflammation of the heart muscle, leading to severe heart failure. Just days later, by Friday, Day was admitted to Henry Ford Hospital, placed on extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO), a form of life support for people with severe heart and lung problems and listed for transplant.

Joey Maniaci: A Decade on Life Support

At 20 years old, Joey Maniaci was placed on ECMO, He later transitioned to a left ventricular assist device (LVAD), a mechanical pump that helps the heart pump blood to the body.

After nearly a decade on mechanical support, a near-death experience, and three weeks of memory loss, Joey received a heart transplant at Henry Ford Hospital on Nov. 19, 2025.
Maniaci says his experience as a patient shaped how he cares for patients as a student doctor.

"You feel like you're family when you're at Henry Ford Health, and that's not something you get very often," Maniaci said. "That's what I'll carry with me into my life as a physician."

Now a medical student at Michigan State University and student physician at Trinity Health in Ann Arbor, with an expected graduation in May 2027, Joey plans to pursue cardiac and critical care anesthesia.

Mohamed El-Souri: From Beirut to Detroit

Mohamed El-Souri was diagnosed with heart failure when he was 15 years old. His doctors in Beirut, Lebanon, discovered his heart was enlarged and functioning poorly.

One of Mohamed's doctors, who had recently moved to Beirut from Detroit, recognized he needed the highly specialized care that is only available at world class transplant centers like the one at Henry Ford Hospital. Mohamed travelled to Michigan and the team at the Henry Ford Transplant Institute implanted his new heart on June 19, 2018.

For El-Souri, the move to the U.S. and his journey to recovery gave him a new perspective on medicine and his life's mission.

"I was so close to not being here," El-Souri said. "It makes you realize you're here for a reason. I like to think that maybe this second chance is to help even just one person."

Now a medical student at Wayne State University, with an expected graduation in May 2028, Mohamed plans to pursue internal medicine. He's considering a focus in cardiology. He also founded the Wayne State University School of Medicine (WSUSOM) Second Chance Initiative, which promotes organ donation awareness and informed conversations.

Continuing Care, Lasting Impact

Behind each of these stories is a coordinated team at the Henry Ford Transplant Institute guiding patients through diagnosis, advanced support and transplant - and continuing to care for them long after surgery.

Dr. Hassan Nemeh, surgical director of thoracic organ transplant and division head of cardiac surgery at Henry Ford Health, say the impact goes far beyond the procedure itself.

"This is exactly what it means to be a physician: to transform a tragic situation, help a patient navigate through it, recover, and make a difference, ultimately touching other lives," Dr. Nemeh said.

Dr. Jennifer Cowger, head of advanced heart failure, transplant, and mechanical circulatory support at Henry Ford Health, says her relationships with patients do not end in the operating room.

"When you work with younger patients, you become a 'mom doc', checking in and making sure they're taking care of themselves," Dr. Cowger said. "It shows that this field isn't transactional. We know our patients and that means something to our team."

Dr. Alexander Michaels, medical director of heart transplant at Henry Ford Health, says each patient's path reflects a different approach to long-term success.

"These are three different patient journeys and strategies to move from heart failure to long-term success, whether through transplant or advanced devices that extend survival and reduce short-term complications," Dr. Michaels said.

For Day, Maniaci, and El-Souri, those journeys point to the most hopeful aspect of organ donation: there is life after transplant, with a path forward shaped by continued care and new purpose, thanks to selfless organ donors and their families.

"I've heard people say things, 'I just don't want someone cutting into my body,' which is fair. But that's where we come in - helping people understand what organ donation really means and the impact it can have. It's about giving someone else a second chance at life," El-Souri said.

Click here to learn more about organ donation and how you can help make a difference.