‘Definitely a miracle’: Puerto Rican woman receives rare heart-lung transplant in Florida

‘Definitely a miracle’: Puerto Rican woman receives rare heart-lung transplant in Florida

ORLANDO, Fla., Nov. 27, 2025 — For Ivelese Nieves, what began as a honeymoon trip to Bogotá, Colombia, quickly became the start of a medical journey few ever experience. Just weeks after marrying in October, she grew so sick on the trip that her longtime heart and lung condition suddenly worsened.

“It had to be both lungs and the heart, all from the same person, which is extremely difficult.”

The 58-year-old Cabo Rojo, Puerto Rico, native was born with a congenital heart defect that caused dangerous pressure to build on the right side of her heart. Over two decades, that strain damaged both her heart and lungs, leaving a double transplant as her only option. By the time her condition worsened during her honeymoon trip to Bogotá, she was experiencing shortness of breath, extreme fatigue, dizziness, and swelling — all signs her heart was failing.

“It wasn’t just one organ,” she said. “It had to be both lungs and the heart, all from the same person, which is extremely difficult.”

After falling gravely ill late last year, Nieves agreed to begin transplant evaluation in Orlando. “I came here for the appointment, and they admitted me because I had decompensated so much that I couldn’t leave,” she said. “That was April 21. I received the transplant in June.”

Her wait on the transplant list was remarkably brief. “One month. Just one month,” she recalled. On June 16 she was taken to the operating room; by the next day she had a new heart and lungs. “It was definitely a miracle.”

The surgery was led by Dr. Linda Bogar, a cardiothoracic transplant surgeon, and Dr. Duane Davis, chief medical officer of the AdventHealth Institutes.

“This procedure that we do is rare in the United States,” Bogar said. Finding a donor matched for both lungs and a heart is exceptionally difficult. “Sometimes the donor heart is suitable, but the lungs are not, so you have to find organs that are good and the correct size match. That adds complexity.”

Only 64 heart-lung transplants were performed in the U.S. in 2024 — a rare operation even among top centers, according to the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network (OPTN).

“I asked so much and prayed so hard that the transplant would happen in that month of June."

While waiting, Nieves — who describes herself as “not very spiritual” — found herself praying. “I prayed so much to God,” she said. “I asked so much and prayed so hard that the transplant would happen in that month of June. And that’s exactly what happened.”

She was discharged in early August and is recovering in Central Florida before returning home to Puerto Rico.

Asked how it feels to live with another person’s heart and lungs, Nieves admitted: “Sometimes I feel different, sometimes I don’t. I still haven’t fully processed it. It’s something you can’t explain.”

When speaking about her donor’s family, she was visibly moved. “Wow — truly, thank you. So much strength, so much wisdom they had despite the pain of losing that loved one. Nothing in this world could ever repay it — nothing.” She added, “If one day they wanted to meet me, I’d be willing. Absolutely. I’ll always ask myself: why me?”

Nieves has long supported organ donation. “When I got my driver’s license at 16, I checked the box. I’ve always believed in it — and it ended up being my turn, without knowing it.”

She hopes her story inspires others, particularly in Hispanic and multicultural communities where donation rates remain lower. “If only the Hispanic community was aware that one person can save up to ten lives,” she said. “It’s a gift of life. A true gift of life.”

Her message now is clear: “Donate. Let go of fear. It’s giving life. So many people are still waiting. Any organ can help. Whatever it’s for -— sign up to be an organ donor today.”

For Bogar and the transplant team, seeing patients like Nieves recover underscores the purpose of their work. “Having the patient doing well and being engaged in recovery — it really makes us feel good. It’s worth everything,” she said.