JUST OVER A WEEK AGO, FOUR ANDREW GRUNDMAN UNDERWENT PARTIAL HEART SURGERY AT DUKE UNIVERSITY IN RALEIGH, NORTH CAROLINA. HE IS THE 35TH KID IN THE WORLD WHO HAD THIS SURGERY. TONIGHT, HE RETURNED HOME ON A PRIVATE JET. THANKS FOR JOINING US. I鈥橫 MADDIE AUGUSTINE. THE GRUNDMAN鈥橲 WERE GREETED BY FRIENDS AND FAMILY WAITING FOR THEIR ARRIVAL. KETV NEWSWATCH SEVEN鈥橲 MADISON PERALES WAS THERE WHEN THE PLANE LANDED. MADISON. YEAH, MADDIE. SO MANY EMOTIONS AT EPPLEY AIRFIELD TONIGHT, BUT THE OVERALL FEELING WAS JOY FOR ANDREW TO FINALLY BE HOME. AN ANONYMOUS DONOR MADE THIS TRIP POSSIBLE FOR ANDREW AND HIS FAMILY. I SPOKE WITH THE FOUNDER OF AERO ANGELS, THE PLANE THAT GOT ANDREW BACK TO OMAHA. ANDREW LANDED AT 6 P.M., STARING OUT THE WINDOW IN EXCITEMENT, GREETED BY FAMILY AND CLOSE FRIENDS. ANDREW GRUNDMAN TOUCHED DOWN AT ONE OF EPPLEY AIRFIELD PRIVATE JET LOCATIONS SATURDAY NIGHT. THE FIRST PERSON HE GOES TO IS GRANDMA. THIS COMES AFTER A LONG JOURNEY TO DUKE UNIVERSITY, AND EMOTIONS WERE HIGH WITH MOM AS SHE FOUGHT BACK TEARS OF JOY. DAD MAINTAINED COMPOSURE WHILE RIPPING A SHIRT THAT SAYS PROUD DAD OF A HEART WARRIOR. ANDREW UNDERWENT PARTIAL HEART SURGERY TO REPLACE THE HEART VALVES. YOU WERE A GREAT PASSENGER. AERO ANGELS DIRECTOR MARK PESTELL FLEW WITH THEM FROM RALEIGH, NORTH CAROLINA, TO OMAHA. IT鈥橲 AMAZING TO SEE, LIKE EIGHT DAYS OUT OF SURGERY TO SEE HE鈥橲, YOU KNOW, REALLY BACK TO NORMAL. HE SAYS YOU ALMOST WOULDN鈥橳 KNOW. HE WENT THROUGH A LIFE CHANGING PROCEDURE. YOU KIND OF NEVER KNOW THAT. HE JUST HAD A MAJOR HEART SURGERY. HEART TRANSPLANT. SO THIS PROVES TRUE AS ANDREW JUMPS UP AND DOWN IN EXCITEMENT TO SEE HIS FAMILY. NELIGH A LOT OF KIDS THAT HAVE HEART SURGERY AND THEY鈥橰E KIND OF NICKNAME HEART WARRIORS. OGALLALA HE鈥橲 HE鈥橲 KIND OF ON THE TOP OF THE LIST IN TERMS OF, YOU KNOW, HIS HIS FIGHTING ATTITUDE AND JUST REALLY TOUGHNESS. PESTELL SAYS ERROR ANGELS PROVIDES FLIGHTS TO CHILDREN WITH SEVERE ILLNESSES. ANDREW BEING ONE OF THEM, THERE鈥橲 NO GOING THROUGH SECURITY OR CROWDED AIRPORT. IT鈥橲 VERY PRIVATE. THEY CAN GET ON AND THEN WE鈥橰E LITERALLY AIRBORNE IN ABOUT TEN MINUTES. ANDREW鈥橲 MEDICATIONS MAKE HIS IMMUNE SYSTEM WEAKER. PESTELL SAYS FOR KIDS LIKE ANDREW, THEY NEED A SIMPLE TRAVEL PLAN TO REDUCE RISK. YEAH, THE WIND WAS REALLY INTENSE AFTER A LONG TRIP. ANDREW IS READY TO GO HOME INSTEAD OF BEING CARRIED, HE INSISTED. HE WALKED TO THE CAR WITH GRANDMA HAND IN HAND, A MOMENT THAT鈥橲 STILL ECHOING IN MY MIND. IS ANDREW JUMPING UP AND DOWN WITH EXCITEMENT WHILE WHILE SAYING I DID IT. TOMORROW AT 10:00 I SIT DOWN WITH ANDREW AND HIS FAM
'I did it': Anonymous donor sends child home on private jet after life-changing surgery
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Updated: 5:07 PM CDT May 19, 2025
Just over a week after undergoing partial heart surgery at Duke University in Raleigh, North Carolina, 4-year-old Andrew Grundman has returned home to Omaha. He is the 35th child in the world to have undergone this specific procedure, which replaced his heart valves.Andrew touched down at a private jet terminal at Eppley Airfield on Saturday night, greeted warmly by cheering friends and family. One of the first people he went to was his grandmother, a moment filled with joy after his life-changing medical journey. The flight home was made possible through the generosity of an anonymous donor and AeroAngels, a nonprofit organization that provides private flights for children with severe illnesses. AeroAngels' executive director, Mark Pestal, accompanied Andrew and his family on the trip from Raleigh. 鈥淚t鈥檚 amazing to see, eight days out of surgery, he鈥檚 really back to normal,鈥� Pestal said. He noted Andrew鈥檚 remarkable recovery from major heart surgery.鈥淵ou'd never know that he just had a major heart transplant," Pestal said. At his arrival, Andrew was jumping up and down in excitement, a scene that left an impression on many present. Pestal spoke about Andrew鈥檚 resilience, describing him as a fighter.Video below: Sister station KETV sat down with Andrew's family to discuss the long journey鈥淲e fly a lot of kids that have heart surgery, and they鈥檙e kind of nicknamed 'heart warriors.' He鈥檚 on the top of the list in terms of his fighting attitude and just really toughness," Pestal said. AeroAngels specializes in simplifying travel for children like Andrew, whose weakened immune systems require reduced exposure to public crowds and risks.鈥淭here鈥檚 no going through security or a crowded airport 鈥� it鈥檚 very private. They can get on and we鈥檙e airborne in about ten minutes,鈥� Pestal said. After the long journey home, Andrew was ready to go home. Instead of being carried, he insisted on walking to the car himself, hand in hand with his grandmother.Andrew shared his excitement, jumping with joy and declaring, 鈥淚 did it.鈥�
Just over a week after undergoing partial heart surgery at Duke University in Raleigh, North Carolina, 4-year-old Andrew Grundman has returned home to Omaha. He is the 35th child in the world to have undergone this specific procedure, which replaced his heart valves.
Andrew touched down at a private jet terminal at Eppley Airfield on Saturday night, greeted warmly by cheering friends and family. One of the first people he went to was his grandmother, a moment filled with joy after his life-changing medical journey.
The flight home was made possible through the generosity of an anonymous donor and AeroAngels, a nonprofit organization that provides private flights for children with severe illnesses. AeroAngels' executive director, Mark Pestal, accompanied Andrew and his family on the trip from Raleigh.
鈥淚t鈥檚 amazing to see, eight days out of surgery, he鈥檚 really back to normal,鈥� Pestal said.
He noted Andrew鈥檚 remarkable recovery from major heart surgery.
鈥淵ou'd never know that he just had a major heart transplant," Pestal said.
At his arrival, Andrew was jumping up and down in excitement, a scene that left an impression on many present. Pestal spoke about Andrew鈥檚 resilience, describing him as a fighter.
Video below: Sister station KETV sat down with Andrew's family to discuss the long journey
鈥淲e fly a lot of kids that have heart surgery, and they鈥檙e kind of nicknamed 'heart warriors.' He鈥檚 on the top of the list in terms of his fighting attitude and just really toughness," Pestal said.
AeroAngels specializes in simplifying travel for children like Andrew, whose weakened immune systems require reduced exposure to public crowds and risks.
鈥淭here鈥檚 no going through security or a crowded airport 鈥� it鈥檚 very private. They can get on and we鈥檙e airborne in about ten minutes,鈥� Pestal said.
After the long journey home, Andrew was ready to go home. Instead of being carried, he insisted on walking to the car himself, hand in hand with his grandmother.
Andrew shared his excitement, jumping with joy and declaring, 鈥淚 did it.鈥�
