5-Year-Old Heart Transplant Patient Who Went Viral After 189 Days in Hospital Has Died
Heart patient Ari Schultz, who went viral earlier this year as his parents documented his journey, has died.
The 5-year-old was finally released from Boston Children’s Hospital in June after 189 days.
Read: 5-Year-Old Boy With New Heart Finally Gets to Go Home After 189 Days in Hospital: 'Great!'
His health, however, suddenly took a turn for the worse this week. He had a seizure and was then placed on life support, according to his parents' blog. He died on Friday.
"Ari passed away peacefully this evening listening to the Red Sox," Ari "Danger" Schultz's family wrote on Facebook.
Ari, who was a known Boston Red Sox fan, was seen in a viral video in June celebrating the news of his release from the hospital while wearing a Boston Red Sox Jersey and swinging a bat.
Ari had a heart transplant on March 3, but went into cardiac arrest a few weeks later as his body rejected it. The 5-year-old was born with a malformed heart that only had two chambers instead of four. He'd had ten operations in his life.
When asked what he wanted to do when he was discharged on June 16, Ari made his plans clear.
“Maybe go to a baseball field ... And after go in the backyard and practice my golf swing,” Ari said in the viral video.
And on Father’s day, Ari’s dad, Mike Schultz, took him to the golf course.
Read: Boy, 7, Gets Surprise Party With Batman After No One From School Shows Up to His Birthday
Later on that month, Ari was paid a surprise visit by his favorite Red Sox players Christian Vasquez and Xander Bogaerts. Although Ari was on 22 medications and oxygen at the time, he was still full of joy while meeting the players.
Ari was scheduled to throw out the first pitch at the August 27 Red Sox game.
Watch: 4-Year-Old Boy Waiting for Heart Transplant Signs College Baseball Contract
