U.S. Army Sgt. First Class Louis B. Smith Jr. carries not just memories of his military service but a deep legacy from his late father, symbolized through a unique tattoo. When Smith, a resident of Country Club Hills in Chicago’s southern suburbs, faced life-threatening heart failure, preserving that legacy became a personal request during his life-saving surgery.
After 21 years of military service, including tours in Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Germany, and Korea, Smith, now 63, found himself battling a genetic heart condition that reduced his heart function to just 10%. Despite the severity of his condition, Smith maintained his soldier’s resilience.
“I wasn’t really afraid to pass away because I was a soldier,” Smith said. “So, I’m built for this, you know.”
Enlisting at 17, Smith followed in his father’s footsteps, serving with pride. But by the time his condition reached its critical point, he needed a heart transplant. Doctors at Northwestern Memorial Hospital delivered the news with urgency, yet Smith remained optimistic.
“Just keeping my faith and saying to myself that everything is gonna be all right,” he recalled.
When a suitable donor was found, doctors asked if Smith had any specific requests ahead of the operation. His answer was immediate.
“I was like, ‘Oh yeah, can you please try to save my tattoo?'” Smith said.
The tattoo, a simple yet powerful phrase “I did it my way,” echoes the lyrics of Frank Sinatra’s song—a tune Smith shared with his father and cherished as their shared motto. The connection between the ink and his father, who passed away in 2007, was profound.
“I lost my father in 2007, and he was a soldier as well. At the time, I was really missing him,” Smith said.
Dr. Benjamin Bryner, who performed the transplant, acknowledged the challenge of preserving the tattoo while ensuring the success of the surgery.
“There’s no way to do a transplant without leaving a scar behind, but we take all the time we can to get the tattoos to at least line up,” Dr. Bryner explained. “I was happy with the result for his.”
Smith was equally pleased, telling his wife that the doctors had done well in maintaining the tattoo’s appearance.
“Now, you can’t almost tell it’s there!” he noted.
Nearly a year after the surgery, Smith is thriving. He has returned to riding his motorcycle and spending time with his family as a proud father and grandfather.
“I’m very happy and in my life, I’ve been blessed,” Smith said. “I don’t have any regrets and it just says it all. The song says who I am.”
Smith continues to receive care at the Jesse Brown Veterans Affairs Medical Center, which has collaborated with Northwestern Medicine for over 77 years to provide specialized services to veterans.
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