Hilo man thanks medical staff a year after heart transplant

Alan Tamashiro returned to Hilo Benioff Medical Center on Tuesday to thank the staff who helped him receive a life-saving heart transplant more than a year ago. The 67-year-old Hilo resident had suffered worsening heart failure and collapsed in September 2025. A heart pump implanted by cardiologist Dr. Jane Luu stabilized him, allowing him to travel to USC’s Keck Hospital for the transplant.