Retired Braintree High Teacher Receives Artificial Heart at Brigham and Women’s

A retired teacher from Holbrook became the first person in New England to receive a totally artifical heart earlier this year when his own heart was replaced by a clear plastic device in February.

The success of the eight-hour surgery was announced on Thursday by doctors at Brigham and Women's Hospital, according to the Boston Herald and several other news accounts.

James Carelli Jr., 66, was diagnosed last year with cardiac senile amyloidosis, a fatal heart disease, the Herald reported. The state-of-the-art device will be replaced when a donor becomes available.

Carelli taught in the Braintree Public School system for 22 years and spent time as a girls track and field coach at BHS, according to WCVB. He retired in 2004. 

"You gotta have faith," WCVB quoted Carelli as saying." This is a big leap of faith. They remove your heart, and there is no turning back. Once it's gone, they're not going to give it back to you. It doesn't work."