Post by philly on Jul 26, 2012 11:30:33 GMT -5
Singer Bobby Rydell recovering after liver and kidney transplants
By TheWrap.com
Bobby Rydell, the '60s teen idol who rose to fame with such hits as "Wild One" and "Volare," is recovering after undergoing liver and kidney transplants last week.
Rydell (born Robert Ridarelli) told the local CBS affiliate in his native Philadelphia that his doctor gave him "maybe a month" to live if he did not undergo the surgeries.
"It's truly a miracle," said the 70-year-old singer, who came out of the Philadelphia scene that also spawned Fabian and Frankie Avalon.
A doctor at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital said that the donor liver not only saved Rydell's life, but part of it was transplanted into a pediatric patient.
Rydell, whose performance in the 1963 film "Bye Bye Birdie" helped propel him to stardom, said that the experience has inspired him to raise awareness about donating organs.
"The doctor and I we are going to work and make people aware of organ donorship. It's very, very important," Rydell noted. "It's the gift of life."
By TheWrap.com
Bobby Rydell, the '60s teen idol who rose to fame with such hits as "Wild One" and "Volare," is recovering after undergoing liver and kidney transplants last week.
Rydell (born Robert Ridarelli) told the local CBS affiliate in his native Philadelphia that his doctor gave him "maybe a month" to live if he did not undergo the surgeries.
"It's truly a miracle," said the 70-year-old singer, who came out of the Philadelphia scene that also spawned Fabian and Frankie Avalon.
A doctor at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital said that the donor liver not only saved Rydell's life, but part of it was transplanted into a pediatric patient.
Rydell, whose performance in the 1963 film "Bye Bye Birdie" helped propel him to stardom, said that the experience has inspired him to raise awareness about donating organs.
"The doctor and I we are going to work and make people aware of organ donorship. It's very, very important," Rydell noted. "It's the gift of life."
