Three amigos with broken hearts (video)

Esteban Ganzalez, Gabriel Casas and Martin Ortiz were strangers when they first arrived at Sharp Memorial Hospital, each in need of a heart transplant. When the nurses on the transplant unit noticed the men had similar interests and personalities, they played matchmaker.

Not only did the men quickly become close friends — dubbing themselves “the three amigos with broken hearts” — but their families did too.

The amigos had plenty of time on their hands, as the wait for a suitable heart transplant match is unpredictable. They would take walks together and spend hours playing cards. They even stayed connected, continuously supporting each other, as, first, Esteban received his heart transplant in March, followed by Gabriel in April and, finally, Martin in June.

When Martin, the last amigo, was discharged, his friends and their families all came to his bell-ringing ceremony. This beautiful event symbolizes a patient’s new life with their new organ as they ring the bell, and the care team gathers to celebrate.

This particular ceremony, however, marked something extra special — the three amigos no longer had broken hearts.

Watch the video above to learn more about their story.

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