A Pinellas County man is beating the odds, overcoming illness and doing what he can to save lives.
Shovon Greene, 21, has been a patient at All Children’s Hospital since he was born. He’s had several heart surgeries and had a heart transplant when he was 16.
"I was born with one side of my heart on the right side where as a normal person's would be on the left and my heart was also turned backwards," Greene said.
“It’s a fact that without his heart transplant Shovon would be dead," said All Children's Hospital Chief of Cardiovascular Surgery Dr. Jeffrey Jacobs. "The only reason he’s alive is because of the heart transplant."
Greene’s heart is now guarded by the badge of his true passion. He’s become an EMT and works every day to save lives, just like his doctors and nurses did for him.
"It's the best feeling in the world to be able to help other people, just knowing what it's like to actually be the patient," Greene said.
Between working double shifts and overnights, Greene still has to remember to take 13 different medications a day. Doctors said they can’t believe how far he’s come.
“He’s one of the most positive people I’ve ever seen that despite all that he goes through, he and his mother are always with a big smile, a positive outlook and doing their best to take a challenging situation and make it as good as possible," said Dr. Jacobs. "It’s what motivates us to wake up in the morning and do what we do it’s why we do what we do.”
"It's just that awesome feeling you get knowing that you just accomplished so much and then you still keep on going," Greene said.
Shovon Greene will graduate paramedic school on Friday. He said he hopes to one day become a SWAT team paramedic.