MEHMET ÖZ, THE DOCTOR WHO SAVED MY LIFE 23 YEARS AGO, APPOINTED AS A MEMBER OF PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP’S CABINET
MEHMET ÖZ, THE DOCTOR WHO SAVED MY LIFE 23 YEARS AGO, APPOINTED AS A MEMBER OF PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP’S CABINET
MAL BERISHA
In early November 2001, while working for the United Nations Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK), I was suddenly confronted with a hidden illness that I had unknowingly carried since childhood.
By a stroke of fate, I discovered this illness entirely by chance, and it was diagnosed by the hands of the renowned Kosovar cardiologist, Dr. Gani Bajraktari.
He delivered the shocking news that I was suffering from an aneurysm in my heart, which could cause death at any moment, even in his hands. In fact, even if I were about to enter the operating room, a ruptured aorta would make survival impossible.
His urgent advice was to immediately seek treatment at a specialized clinic and undergo heart surgery without delay.
His second piece of advice was to avoid traveling by airplane, as the change in air pressure could result in instant death.
However, being “stubborn” by nature, I did not follow the advice of my friend, Dr. Bajraktari, and decided to immediately travel to Istanbul for a second opinion.
At the first clinic I visited, I received even more unsettling news. Dr. Levent reiterated the same diagnosis that Dr. Gani had given me but added that, according to Turkish medical protocol, patients in such cases must not be allowed to leave the clinic. Furthermore, if a patient refuses treatment, they can be detained by force to ensure their life is saved.
“Do not fly by plane!” This was an ultimatum.
That night, I met with my wonderful friends, Mr. Hilmi Manço—son of Ahmet Bey Arnauti—and his wife, the well-known journalist for the Turkish Daily News, Yasemin Dobra Manço.
When I shared my situation with them, they were alarmed beyond imagination. They immediately sprang into action to find the nearest and best hospital for me to be admitted. However, when they realized that I would not agree to undergo surgery in Istanbul, they called Turkey’s most prominent chief cardiac surgeon and asked:
“In which hospital in New York should our friend go to be in safe hands for such a heart surgery?”
The professor’s response was: “Columbia University Medical Center, Presbyterian Hospital, in the hands of Dr. Mehmet ÖZ.”
The next day, after a 12-hour flight, I landed at JFK Airport. I explained to my sons the reason for my trip and advised them to take me directly to that hospital.
MY PERSONAL STORY WITH DR. MEHMET OZ, WHO SAVED MY LIFE
Two days later, I found myself in Dr. Mehmet Öz’s clinic at Columbia University’s Heart Hospital. His secretary, Emine Hanım, a kind Turkish American lady, had already been informed of my condition from Istanbul. She immediately told me that my name had reached Dr. Mehmet Öz’s office before I did and that he would personally oversee the surgery, which would be performed by Professors Marc Warshawsky and Neloo M. Edwards.
After the open-heart surgery—or, as they say, “heart on the table” surgery—which lasted, I don’t know how many hours, I woke up to the ticking sound of a platinum valve in my chest, a sound that has not stopped since November 13, 2001.
When I “woke up,” the first person I saw in front of me, gently holding my face, was none other than:
Dr. Mehmet Öz.
He comforted me, spoke to me in Turkish and English, and assured me that everything had gone perfectly.
In 2022, his name appeared on American television screens as a candidate for the U.S. Senate. He was running in the state of Pennsylvania.
At that time, I wrote an article urging Albanian Americans to vote for Dr. Öz for many reasons, not least because my life had been saved by him.
Naturally, everyone has their own convictions, but we, as Albanians, cannot overlook such a prominent figure of global humanitarianism.
Dr. Öz did not win that election. It was a great disappointment to see his opponent secure that seat. But life goes on. And now, the doctor who saved my life has been selected by the upcoming President of the United States, Donald Trump, as a member of his cabinet.
This great man will be responsible for the well-being of 160 million Americans.
The world isn’t as vast as we might think.
Congratulations, dear Dr. Mehmet Öz.
For your reference, please visit my article from that time on my website at:
https://malberisha.com/mal-berisha-votoni-dr-mehmet-oz-per-senatin-amerikan/
