Paul Cardall gets a new heart, beats odds

From tragedy to destiny in just over 90 days.That's

what family, friends and fans of LDS musician Paul Cardall were struck

by Thursday morning, with word that his long-awaited heart transplant

was successfully performed at Primary Children's Medical Center.

At

36, Cardall was the oldest Utah patient with congenital heart disease

to have survived to his age without a transplant. Cardiologist Angela

Yetman said she's "never seen anything like" Cardall's determination to

keep living and the optimism he has.

"He's

come through this as if he hasn't had cardiac surgery. He's sitting up

in bed talking and making jokes," she said Thursday. "I think he's

benefitting from everybody's prayers and his own faith. He's got me

convinced. I've known him for the last year, and I certainly can't find

a better explanation."

It's a story

a novelist might conjure up, but for Cardall and his family, it's

another adventure in a life so surprising to medical personnel that the

heart surgeon who thought Cardall would likely die as an infant made

his way to the hospital for congratulations.

The

donor heart was implanted by surgeons little more than three months

after Cardall's brother, Brian Cardall, died June 9 next to a highway

in southern Utah. Police had Tasered him when he was found running

naked there during an episode of mental illness.

Though

the Cardalls have long been grateful for the hope offered through organ