FOX 2 - Mohamed El-Souri was just 15 years old living in Lebanon with his family as his father was working in the country when he realized he wasn't feeling well.
"There were several episodes of panic like what's going on with me?" said El-Souri. "Shortness of breath, consistent coughing and swelling all over my body."
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After receiving Gift of Life heart transplant, young man studies to be cardiologist
Mohamed El-Souri was just 15 years old living in Lebanon with his family as his father was working in the country when he realized he wasn't feeling well.
A trip to the emergency room and a series of tests revealed why.
"They said I had acute cardiomyopathy," he said.
It's a disease of the heart muscle, that makes it more challenging for the heart to pump blood to the rest of the body. Doctors told Mohamed he would need a heart transplant to survive.
El-Souri says one of his doctors happened to be from Michigan and got the ball rolling to help him get back here to get a transplant
"He was a surgeon at Henry Ford Hospital before even going to Lebanon," he said. "He told them make sure you receive him and basically start working on him going on the transplant list."
In June of 2018, Mohamed El-Souri received the Gift of Life - a heart transplant.
He's now 18 and majoring in medicine at Wayne State University and is grateful an organ was available.
Mohamed El-Souri, heart transplant recipient
"I hopefully plan to go into cardiology," he said."I'm going to make sure I'm successful person to (use) that gift I was given."
Mohamed hopes his story will encourage more people to sign up to be an organ donor.
Gift of Life Michigan believes the perfect time is now during the month of April which is National Donate Life Month.
"We encourage everyone if you have not received a red heart emblem on your license, to please sign up and become an organ and tissue donor," said Remonia Chapman. "If you want to know more about organ and tissue donation or join in the conversations with us, and let's talk. Please come to our website."
For more information go to https://www.giftoflifemichigan.org/