May 6, 2009 10:45 pm US/Central
Doctor's Prom Promise To Girl Kept 10 Years Later
ROCHESTER, Minn. (WCCO) ―
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Dr. Mike Ackerman was a cardiologist in training at the Mayo Clinic a decade ago when he made a promise to then 8-year-old Stefani Pentiuk before her heart transplant surgery.
CBS
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Dr. Mike Ackerman made good on that promise by surprising Stefani Pentiuk at her prom.
CBS
It was a promise that took 10 years to keep but it was worth the wait. Dr. Mike Ackerman was a cardiologist in training at the Mayo Clinic a decade ago when he made a pre-operation promise to a critically ill little girl -- two weeks ago he was finally able to keep that vow.
Eight-year-old Stefani Pentiuk's heart was severely weakened by a virus.
"You'd never guess a month after a picture like Stefani here, that she's somebody we're wondering are we going to be able to keep her alive," said Ackerman.
The Michigan girl's only hope of survival was a heart transplant.
"When they mentioned that I might need a heart transplant was when I got pretty scared," said Stefani.
"When the heart became available and we learned of it, she then got a little bit fearful and she looked up at me and she basically just said 'Dr. Mike, will I survive the transplant?'" recalled Ackerman.
"He was so sure, he was so positive that I would make it through," said Stefani.
That's not all that Ackerman said to her. He made Stefani a promise.
"Not only will you live through the transplant, but I'll be taking you to your prom," Ackerman told her.
Stefani's mother never forgot that promise. So a few months ago, she e-mailed Ackerman and asked if he'd be willing to surprise Stefani at her senior prom.
Ackerman check the date and saw he already had a speaking engagement.
"I went home and I told my wife the story and all I got from her was 'I don't care what you have to do but you better keep this promise and make this happen.' And I knew I needed to make it happen," he said.
Stefani's boyfriend Marty was in on the surprise and sent the doctor a text when the time was right.
"She had her back turned and I walked in and tapped her on her shoulder and I said 'Hi Stefani, can I have this dance?'" said Ackerman.
"Immediately I burst into tears, I knew who it was immediately. And I just started crying because I was shocked that he would come all that way and he remembered," said Stefani.
The doctor also wept openly at the touching moment.
"You get only a couple of those moments in your life if you're lucky. I'm just so blessed to have gotten that one," said Ackerman.
Then the doctor fulfilled his promise and the two danced to "Bless the Broken Road" by Rascal Flatts.
"I feel so blessed to have such an amazing man in my life. I feel like I'm the luckiest girl in the world," said Stefani.
"I actually didn't do anything all that special. I actually just did the right thing. I kept a promise," said Ackerman.
Stefani recently needed a kidney transplant after anti-rejection drugs damaged hers. She will graduate from high school in June and next fall she'll be attending, appropriately, Hope College in Michigan.
(© MMX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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