Meet Fitness Model Who Walked With an Artificial Heart in His Backpack for Over 2 Years

Andrew ''AJ'' Jones, a professional fitness model from Farmington, Connecticut, was diagnosed in 2012 with a rare medical condition called hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.

Pay Attention: Legit.ng is on a mission to support vulnerable children of Calabar – join the initiative on Patreon, let’s change more lives together!

The condition leaves the heart muscle thickened without any obvious cause.

Jones needed a transplant, but since he was placed on a waiting list, he received a left ventricular assist device, a mechanical pump that transported blood from his lower heart chamber throughout his body just as a heart would.

Without a discernible pulse and a working heart, he relied on an artificial heart, constantly connected to two batteries and a computer that he carried in a backpack wherever he went.

Although he didn't have a self-functioning heart, Jones continued to do his press-ups and other gym routines even in his hospital ward with gadgets attached to him.

Read also

Tell Your Sons to Beware: Basketmouth Sends Warning as He Shares Photos with Daughter

His experience with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy informed his decision to establish his own organisation called Hearts At Large to raise awareness for the need of donors and create a network for those in need of donations.

Jones found a matching donor and underwent a heart transplant three years ago.

Legit.ng has compiled five best photos of Andrew ''AJ''Jones.

1: Andrew Jones shows off his scars.

2. Jones lifts metals in the gym.

3. Fitness model doing his press-ups.

4. Jones refusing to be bed-ridden by his conditions doing press-ups in a hospital ward.

5. Fitness model shares before and now photo to show progress.

PAY ATTENTION: Install our latest app for Android, read the best news on Nigeria’s #1 news app

In other news, Dawn Storom is one flaming hot 51-year-old and she definitely knows it. The beautiful woman recently shared pictures of her super fit self and Mzansi went absolutely crazy, not even believing that she is really 51.

Read also

Lady celebrates her graduation with family, says it's a blessing completing degree in 4 years

Speaking in an exclusive interview with Briefly.co.za news, Storom revealed that she had started working out shortly after her 50th birthday when she made the decision to do something for herself having taken care of her household and family for many years before that.

She said:

"When I decided to start, I said to myself, 'All my life I've taken care of other people. My kids are grown. This is my opportunity to take care of myself, and only me'. That was my attitude. I suppose that's why I had failed before and now I'm succeeding. Because this time it's all about me."

Source: Legit.ng