11-year-old girl meets Drake before receiving heart transplant news: ‘I'm getting a heart, mom?’
A visit from superstar rapper Drake is great, but a new heart is even better.
Sofia Sanchez, who turned 11 on Aug. 18, filmed a video asking for two presents for her birthday: a visit from "In My Feelings" singer Drake, and a new heart.
Sanchez was diagnosed with cardiomyopathy and is in need of a heart transplant. While in treatment at Lurie Children's Hospital in Chicago, the girl filmed a "Kiki Challenge" video and asked for a visit from Drake. The video went viral and that once-in-a-lifetime wish was granted last week when the rapper paid a visit to the girl in her hospital room.
She learned on Sunday she will be getting the heart transplant she needs to survive as well, Chicago ABC station WLS reported.
"My birthday wishes happened -- well, one of them did -- to meet Drake, and that one did happen and it was great, and my other wish is to get a heart -- which is gonna happen soon," Sanchez says in a video posted by her cousin, who also appeared in the original "Kiki Challenge" video, on Facebook Sunday.
Very soon, as it turned out, because in the next sentence, her mother tells her she's getting that heart.
"I'm getting a heart, mom? Oh my god," she exclaims through tears as she hugs her mother.
The heart transplant surgery was scheduled for Monday morning and recovery will be about six to eight weeks, according to a family friend, who posted the news on a verified GoFundMe page that has raised over $45,000 for Sanchez.
Sanchez had open-heart surgery in July to connect a ventricular assist device, a mechanical pump that the hospital said served as a "bridge" to her eventual transplant.
"Having this one special day where she doesn’t have to be a sick patient, it’s just a little girl who’s a fan of a great artist, is pretty special," Lurie Hospital Pediatric Cardiologist Dr. Bradley Marino said after Drake's visit.
The two reportedly bonded over their love of Justin Bieber and basketball.
ABC News' Will Gretsky contributed to this report.
