WORLD NEWS – FRANCE: What began as a summer getaway for Buffalo Sabres star defenseman Rasmus Dahlin and his fiancée Carolina Motovac exploded into a life or death medical odyssey when Carolina suddenly developed major cardiac trouble while they were in France. The vacation shifted immediately from sightseeing to emergency care, and the next months would revolve around a dramatic heart transplant that saved her life.
According to details released by the team, Carolina became critically ill with rapidly escalating heart failure and was placed on life support for weeks. Medical teams at a French hospital stabilized her and determined that the only option for survival was a heart transplant. Surgeons performed the transplant after an intense period of waiting and preparation, and the operation marked the turning point in a terrifying chapter for the couple.
Throughout the crisis Dahlin remained at his fiancée’s side, and the Buffalo Sabres organization provided steadfast support to the player during hospitalization and recovery. Dahlin expressed profound gratitude for the medical teams, the club’s backing, and his partner’s determination, saying watching her work through rehabilitation has been motivating and has helped him find focus amid the upheaval.
Now in rehabilitation, Carolina is reported to be making progress and is on the road to full recovery following the transplant. The story highlights not only a successful surgical intervention but also the network of care from emergency responders in France to transplant surgeons and the athlete’s team that rallied to preserve a life. The couple faces months of recovery and rehabilitation, but the transplant gave them a renewed chance together.
Dahlin described the episode as a months long test and expressed appreciation for the compassion shown by medical staff and teammates; he and Carolina focus on rehabilitation goals and returning to life together after the transplant ordeal.
