Rick Slayman, a 62-Year Old Man Who Received Pig Kidney Transplant Has Died Rick Slayman with his doctors. Rick Slayman, a 62-year-old man ...

 Rick Slayman, a 62-Year Old Man Who Received Pig Kidney Transplant Has Died

Rick Slayman with his doctors.

Rick Slayman, a 62-year-old man who made history by receiving a genetically modified pig kidney in an experimental surgery, passed away.  While his family grieves, they take comfort in knowing his courage offered hope to countless individuals struggling with organ failure.

The cause of death remains unclear, but doctors assured it wasn't related to the pig kidney transplant. Rick battled long-term health issues and desperately needed a new kidney after his own kidneys stopped functioning. 

This innovative surgery, transplanting an animal organ into a human, holds immense promise for the future. It represents a potential solution to the critical shortage of donor organs, a problem impacting thousands of people waiting for life-saving transplants.