Mumbai: Borivali MBA student gets heart transplant after wife stands by him through crisis

A 25yearold MBA student from Borivli Nipesh Anil Lad underwent a heart transplant in Surat in May 2026 more than a year after he collapsed during a college lecture and was diagnosed with a severely weakened heart During the long wait for a donor Lad had lost hope of surviving and even asked his girlfriend Neha to move onNipesh Lad during treatment at a hospital in Surat PicsBy Special ArrangementInstead she chose to marry him Lad who lives with his family told midday that he spent nearly 13 years undergoing treatment and waiting for a donor He said the support of his wife and family helped him through the difficult periodHe collapsed during a lectureIn March 2025 Lad collapsed while attending a lecture at a college in Malad He was rushed to a local hospital where doctors found that his heart was severely weakened and told him he would need a transplantpopcorn numberMar lsquo25 descYear the couple got married classDefaultldquoI suffered a heart attack in March 2025 while I was attending a college lecture My friends rushed me to the hospital Somehow the doctors saved me but I was told that I needed a new heartNipesh Lad with the team of doctors who treated himMy sister Leena and my parents Anil Lad and Bharti Lad started looking for a donor but they could not find onerdquo Lad saidTreatment continued in SuratAfter their marriage Lad was admitted to Kiran Hospital in Surat where he continued his treatment The couple also moved to Surat During this period Neha suffered a brain stroke but recovered with medication Lad saidldquoAfter our marriage I was immediately admitted to Kiran Hospital in Surat We also shifted to Surat for my treatment In between my wife Neha suffered a brain stroke Luckily she survived and recovered with medicinesrdquo Lad saidA donor was finally foundNipesh Lad and Neha together at different stages of their relationship PicsBy Special ArrangementIn May 2026 Lad finally received a donor heart in Surat He said the donor was braindead and the family decided to donate his organs ldquoIn May 2026 I finally received a donor heart in Surat The donor was braindead and his family decided to donate his organs Luckily I received his heart The doctors performed the surgery and transplanted the new heartrdquo Lad saidAdjusting to life after transplantLad spent more than two months in hospital following the transplant ldquoAfter the surgery I was in hospital for more than two months for treatment The doctors advised me to wear a belt around my chest I am now recovering I can go outside but the doctors have advised me to avoid crowded and noisy places I have to wear a mask for life to protect myself from any kind of infection I am taking care of everything I am happily living with my family and my wife I am thankful to my sister for helping me through such difficult situationsrdquo Lad saidDoctor SpeakDr Nandkishorji Kapadia who performed Nipesh Ladrsquos heart transplant told midday ldquoWhen Nipesh was admitted to our hospital it was challenging because his lung pressure was very highWe first worked on reducing and controlling his lung pressure which took about three and a half months After that we started looking for a suitable heart donorldquoFinally when we received a donor heart we performed the transplant It was challenging because of his high lung pressure but we were able to control it with medication It took more than three hours to adjust the new heart into placeldquoWe successfully completed the surgery and discharged him from the hospital His condition is very good now We have advised him to avoid crowded places wear a mask and prevent infections for at least a yearI have performed more than 375 heart and lung surgeries so farrdquo Dr Kapadia said Their relationship began in 2017Lad said he first met Neha in 2017 when his sister Leena married Neha is his brotherinlawrsquos sister Lad said the two began liking each other and eventually started a relationshipHe asked her to move onAs his condition deteriorated and the wait for a donor continued Lad said he lost hope and decided to end his relationship with Neha ldquoI lost hope and decided to break up with my girlfriend Neha I told her that my life was too short and that I would not be able to survive I told her to find someone else and get married because there was no hope for merdquo Lad saidShe chose to marry himLad said Neha did not agree to end the relationship and instead decided to marry him ldquoNeha took me to a local temple and decided that she wanted to marry me Her parents were also against the marriage and I initially refused to marry her However she was determined to marry me We had a court marriage and she convinced her parents Finally both our parents agreed to the marriage We got married in July 2025rdquo he said