When Darwin Dias visits the United States, he always makes time to sit in the Garden of Hope near UF Health Shands Hospital to recharge, reflect, and listen to what he calls “the sound of life.”
“The sound of the helicopters, for me, is the sound of life. That sound of the blades and rotor, it carries the people who need help to Shands,” Dias said.
In 2021, during a trip to Florida, Dias nearly lost his life to COVID-19. After being intubated in Orlando, his condition deteriorated, and his lungs collapsed. His only chance for survival was finding an Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation machine, or ECMO, to keep his lungs functioning. Fortunately, a spot opened at Shands hospital where he was airlifted soon after.
“During the whole month of August, I was unconscious and had no idea what was going on. I ended up being connected to that machine for 54 days, through November,” Dias said.
When he awoke, his entire outlook had changed thanks to the care of Abbas Shahmohammadi, M.D., who was a lung transplant specialist at UF Health before moving to his current position as director of the abdominal transplant critical care unit, and Tiago Machuca, M.D., former chief of the division of thoracic surgery. Machuca, coincidentally, also hailed from Dias’ hometown of Curitiba, Brazil.
With their guidance and the support of his care team, he relearned how to speak, walk and move his body.
“Dr. Abbas was the first to arrive and last to leave,” Dias said. “He gave my family all the support they needed, especially since my wife was there alone. We called him ‘The Boss’ because he always knew everything. Not only is he a great doctor, but he offered incredible emotional support and humane treatment to my family, alongside Dr. Machuca.”
Shahmohammadi noted that [Dias’] case was quite challenging to manage as a result of COVID Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome.
“He not only had lung failure, but he developed right heart failure,” Shahmohammadi said. “With meticulous management and many hours and days of complex decision making, we were able to improve him and wean him off ECMO. His case was a marathon, rather than a sprint, but he had a wonderful recovery.”
The relationship formed between Dias and Shahmohammadi remains strong. Dias recently pledged $500,000 to support critical research within the abdominal transplant unit, where Shahmohammadi now serves.
“Dr. Abbas was blessed with a gift that the assistance he gives people goes beyond being a doctor. Beyond medicine. Supporting him makes me happy because I know I can help him extend his gift to as many people as possible,” Dias said. “People will be lucky to receive the care I had.”
For Dias, the care he received at Shands hospital was unlike anything he had experienced before. He credits the generosity, empathy and kindness of everyone he interacted with throughout his stay.
“Everyone treated me like family. They would take me outside or watch the Gators with me to help in my recovery. I remember the face of every person who helped me. I’m so grateful for their attention and grace,” he said.
To this day, August 11 holds special meaning for Dias. It’s the day that he was admitted to UF Health Shands Hospital, a day he now refers to as his “rebirth.” With his second chance at life, he tries to help others through writing and sharing difficult experiences that he’s learned from.
“I have a forever bond with the hospital, it’s like I was born in Gainesville. I will always give all the support I can, to show how grateful I am for being reborn there,” he said.
Dias now refers to Shands hospital as his “Cathedral of Healing,” a place that not only saved his life, but gave him new perspective – one of hope and gratitude, where the “sound of life” will always remind him of his second chance.
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