A 22-month-old Warwick boy, Wyatt Lopez, received a lifesaving heart transplant on Sept. 8 at Hassenfeld Children’s Hospital at NYU Langone, ending an almost year-long wait on the pediatric transplant list, his family and hospital staff said. The operation followed word of a donor match two days earlier and involved a large multidisciplinary team in a marathon procedure.
Wyatt’s grandmother, Andrea Muster, told News 12 the surgery was especially complex and credited the nurses, doctors and staff who “checked on him because they wanted to,” adding that the hospital had become a second home during his 11-month stay. Hospital cardiologist Dr. Rakesh (“Rocky”) Singh said Wyatt has been a source of joy for staff and that the team looks forward to seeing him thrive with his new heart.
The family first shared Wyatt’s story publicly in May, explaining that he was born with hypoplastic left heart syndrome (HLHS) and had been hospitalized for months while awaiting a donor. At the time, NYU Langone noted pediatric wait times for hearts have roughly doubled in recent years, reflecting a tight donor supply and longer stays for small children in advanced heart failure.
Wyatt is now recovering with his care team at Hassenfeld Children’s Hospital. The family expressed gratitude for community support and the hospital’s staff, who they say guided them through a long and emotional journey.
A family fundraiser has chronicled Wyatt’s medical journey and the challenges of HLHS. Those wishing to follow updates or support the family can visit their page https://www.gofundme.com/f/support-wyatts-journey-for-a-new-heart.
Editor’s note: This article draws on News 12’s reporting and NYU Langone’s public updates about Wyatt’s case and broader pediatric-transplant context. If additional medical updates are released by the family or hospital, we will include them online.
