Sofia thought all of her birthdays had come at once when superstar Drake came to visit her at Lurie’s Children’s Hospital of Chicago last week. But the hitmaker’s number 1 fan Sofia Sanchez was granted one more wish on Monday, when she discovered that she’d be getting a new heart. A tear-jerking video captured the moment 11-year-old Sofia discovers that she will be getting life-saving surgery, which was completed successfully on Tuesday morning. ‘My birthday wishes did happen! Well, one of them did,’ she explains to her mum.
‘Number one was to meet Drake, which did happen. Which was great! My second wish was to get a heart, which is gonna happen soon.’ Then, as mum explains that a donor has been found, she bursts into tears and exclaims, ‘I’m getting a new heart?’ Sofia’s new best friend, superstar Drake, was among the first to share his delight. He commented: ‘YES! My love so happy for you.’
Sofia was donated a heart after being diagnosed with cardio myopathy, an incurable disease that causes heart failure. On her GoFund Me page confirmation of the surgery success was announced on Tuesday morning. A message read: ‘Sofia is out of surgery! Surgery went well. She received a really good, strong heart. ‘They will keep her asleep for the remainder of the night. Thank you for your prayers. God is good.’ Her GoFund Me campaign received donations of $47,231, far exceeding her $5,000 goal, after a public plea to Drake to visit her on her 11th birthday went viral online.