This is the last known photo taken of raggae legend Bob Marley before he succumbed to cancer on May 11, 1981. He was on his way home to Jamaica, but never made it. He passed away at a hospital in Miami at the age of 36. His final words to his son Ziggy were “Money can’t buy life.”
Sober October was the month of discipline. Consistent gym, gallon of water a day, yard work, and 50+ hr work weeks. An excuse to be antisocial. And binging better call Saul. It’s about balance right
“… we often mistake love for fireworks - for drama and dysfunction. But real love is very quiet, very still. It’s boring, if seen from the perspective of high drama. Love is deep and calm - and constant.”
In 1987, Dr. Zbigniew Religa achieved a significant milestone in Polish medical history by successfully completing the country's first-ever heart transplant. The surgery, which lasted a staggering 23 hours, was considered incredibly challenging at the time. In a remarkable photograph capturing the moment, Dr. Religa can be seen closely monitoring the patient's vital signs. Interestingly, the picture also shows Dr. Religa's exhausted assistant, who took a moment to rest on the floor in the corner due to the physically demanding nature of the procedure.
Despite facing medical odds and working within a healthcare system considered one of the worst in Europe at the time, Dr. Religa and his team forged ahead with the groundbreaking surgery. The complexity of the procedure is evident from the multitude of tubes and the clutter surrounding the patient.
The patient in the photograph is Tadeusz Zytkiewicz, who lived for another three decades before passing away in 2017. It is worth noting that Dr. Religa, a heavy smoker, tragically succumbed to lung cancer in 2009.
This iconic photograph, capturing a pivotal moment in medical history, has been recognized by National Geographic as one of the 100 most important pictures ever taken. Below the image, Zytkiewicz is seen proudly holding a printed copy of the photograph depicting himself on the operating table.
The achievement of the first heart transplant in Poland marked a truly remarkable moment for humanity, despite the fact that the initial heart transplant was performed in South Africa by Christian Barnard in 1967.