A Surgeon Saved His Life as a Teen. Now They Operate Together for Charity

From his birth in a powerless, waterless village in Ethiopia 41 years ago, Mesfin Yana found himself at the mercy of strangers' kindness — including Dr. Jim Kauten, who performed life-saving heart surgery when Mesfin was a teenager.

Decades later, these two men embraced each other as both patient-physician and colleague-colleague. Mesfin became a doctor himself and now they operate together for charity in Ethiopia. This incredible tale of compassion and gratitude reminds us of the miracles that come from helping others.

“Jim Kauten, who performed life-saving heart surgery when Mesfin was a teenager.”