Twins grounds crew intern meets doctor who saved his life 20 years ago
MINNEAPOLIS — Behind the grounds crew team making the diamond at Target Field shine this season is 22-year-old Brandon Majerus.
He's currently a horticulture major, specializing in turf and field management at Kansas State, but he's spending his summer interning with the Twins grounds crew.
"Just being with the Minnesota Twins, it's honestly a dream come true. I never even thought I would be here today," said Majerus.
That's because today wasn't promised for him. Just minutes after he was born on April 7, 2002, in Rochester, he needed emergency surgery for a life-threatening congential heart defect.
"It went from joy to completely scared," said Brian Majerus, Brandon's dad, through tears. He's emotional reflecting back on that day.
Thanks to an incredible team at Children's Minnesota, Brandon Majerus survived the surgery and several days on ECMO, which allowed his heart and lungs to fully heal. Shortly after leaving the hospital as a new born, Brandon Majerus and his family moved to Kansas City, where he was raised as a healthy boy with a love for baseball, but his love for Minnesota never faded.
"This big portion of my life, it was a big moment, and it has really helped me become a Twins fan," said Brandon Majerus.
Living in Minnesota this summer as a Twins grounds intern, it felt fitting to make time to meet the surgeon who saved his life 22 years ago. Brandon Majerus, his parents and younger brother all got to meet Dr. David Overman, the chief of cardiovascular surgery at Children's Minnesota.
Brandon Majerus doesn't remember the first time he met Overman, only stories he's heard from his parents, but he'll definitely remember this full circle moment of meeting him as an adult. Brandon Majerus got to tell Overman, "I really appreciate what you did because I know I wouldn't be here today if it wasn't for you."
This moment is just as special for Overman, who rarely gets to meet patients he helps decades later.
"That's really one of the great gifts of this job," said Overman.
Brandon Majerus' survival as a newborn, and his resilience every day after, gave this family the gift of perspective.
"I've learned a lot from him. Just the way he acts every day, the way — his faith in God. He's just been a blessing, a true blessing," said Brian Majerus.
"Now, how I live my life, I treat it one day at a time and know that not every day is granted," said Brandon Majerus.