Richardson Resting After Heart Transplant

The Carolina Panthers said owner Jerry Richardson is recovering after undergoing heart transplant surgery at Carolinas Medical Center.

“Late yesterday afternoon the word came that there was a heart donor,” said team spokesman and friend Charlie Dayton.

Richardson, 72, went into surgery at 8 p.m. Sunday after an organ donor was found, less than two months after Richardson was placed on the national transplant list.

The surgery, performed by Dr. Mark Stiegel and Dr. Eric Skipper, lasted five hours. Stiegel said the donor heart is working well.

"I talked to doctors this morning and he was resting comfortably," Dayton said. "The recovery process has begun now."

Richardson is now in the post operative cardiovascular recovery unit. He is expected to stay at CMC for some time. The normal recovery time for heart transplant surgery can be between three and six months.

“We hope for the best in the recovery, and so far, so good,” Dayton said.

Richardson was placed on the UNOS (United Network of Organ Sharing) heart transplant waiting list at CMC in early December after a series of procedures failed to solve his heart problems.

The Panthers said Richardson had not felt well through the fall and received a pacemaker/defibrillator in November. He had undergone coronary bypass surgery in October of 2002.

A former receiver for the Baltimore Colts, Richardson caught the winning touchdown pass from Johnny Unitas in the 1959 NFL championship game. He was awarded the expansion Panthers in 1993, becoming the first former player to own an NFL team since George Halas, the longtime owner of the Chicago Bears.

Team officials spent the day calling Panthers players to let them know about the successful surgery.

Hospital officials cannot reveal whose heart Richardson received. In fact, Richardson’s family must follow a set of strict guidelines in able to reach out to the family of the person who donated his or her organs.