A Concord native named Ryan Zwick is in urgent need of a heart transplant after his own heart failed following a viral infection. Just days after graduating from nursing school, Ryan, age 22, found himself admitted to the cardiovascular intensive care unit of a hospital in Las Vegas due to difficulty breathing. According to his mother Karen Zwick, Ryan may have contracted COVID-19 three weeks ago as he still experiences lingering symptoms. After undergoing a five-hour open heart surgery, Ryan is now relying on an ECMO machine to filter and pump blood throughout his body. He is also undergoing dialysis treatment to support his failing organs. Ryan’s mother expressed her strong belief in his recovery, highlighting his passion for nursing and his firsthand experience of losing a sibling in the past. Karen Zwick is grateful for the support she has received from her co-workers at Concord High School, where she teaches special education. Ryan’s doctors have stressed the importance of finding a suitable heart for him, and his loved ones have established donation sites to assist with his medical expenses.
