Travis Marcus

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Travis Marcus (b. 1990) is the first child in the world to receive a heart transplant after the implementation of the DeBakey miniature heart pump, invented by 96-yr.-old cardiac surgeon, Michael DeBakey. Travis received the heart pump at Arkansas Children's Hospital in September 2004. The device enabled him to stay alive until a donor heart became available. In November, a heart was found in Houston, Texas and Travis's doctor, Dr. Jonathan Drummond-Webb, personally flew there to harvest the organ himself. Travis received his new heart on November 11, 2004. He was determined to make it home in time for Christmas and so he did. He left the hospital on Thursday, December 23, 2004.