Richard Slayman, US man who became first recipient of pig kidney, dies 2 months after historic transplant

Richard ‘Rick’ Slayman, 62, underwent the transplant at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston. Two weeks later, in March, he returned home.

“Their enormous efforts leading the xenotransplant gave our family seven more weeks with Rick, and our memories made during that time will remain in our minds and hearts,” his family said in a statement, according to New York Post.

Slayman underwent the procedure after suffering dialysis complications. The complications forced him to get admitted to the hospital every two weeks. “I saw it not only as a way to help me, but a way to provide hope for the thousands of people who need a transplant to survive,” he said of the procedure in a statement at the time.

‘A beacon of hope to countless transplant patients’

“Rick accomplished that goal, and his hope and optimism will endure forever,” his family said Saturday, May 11. The transplant team at Mass General insisted that it had “no indication that it was the result of his recent transplant.”

“Mr. Slayman will forever be seen as a beacon of hope to countless transplant patients worldwide, and we are deeply grateful for his trust and willingness to advance the field of xenotransplantation,” the facility said, according to NBC Boston.

“We offer our heartfelt condolences to Mr. Slayman’s family and loved ones as they remember an extraordinary person whose generosity and kindness touched all who knew him,” it added.

As he left the hospital after undergoing the historic procedure, Slayman was optimistic. “This moment — leaving the hospital today with one of the cleanest bills of health I’ve had in a long time — is one I wished would come for many years. Now, it’s a reality and one of the happiest moments of my life,” he said at the time.