Sofia Sanchez, Girl Surprised By Drake At Hospital, Talks About Heart Transplant Recovery

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PHILADELPHIA (CBS) —Sofia Sanchez lit up the Chicago hospital, where she arrived holding her mother's hand. Less than a month ago, the 11-year old received a new heart.

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"It feels like a regular heart. Like it doesn't hurt or anything," says Sofia.

Sofia was admitted to the hospital with heart failure in July.

"I couldn't breathe or catch my breath and I was gray and had no energy to have sleepovers," Sofia recalls.

She was on the transplant list for a new heart when the rapper Drake saw her get out of her wheelchair to dance the "Kiki Challenge".

Two weeks later, he made a surprise visit to the hospital. And a few days after that wish came true, another surprise.

On Aug. 27, Sofia underwent a nine-hour heart transplant. She'll need to be monitored for complications but, so far, doctors are pleased with her recovery.

"The new donor heart worked great and she came off the heart-lung machine with no problem," Dr. Carl Backer, Sofia's heart surgeon, explains.

Sofia's surgeon called her a star patient and he thanked the other star for bringing some joy to the hospital. The hospital's video of the visit has gotten nearly 200,000 views on Facebook.

"It really was an amazing, uplifting thing for the entire hospital to have him here," says Dr. Backer.

Sofia's mother says the fifth-grader will be back to school sometime in December.

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"I'm grateful to have my daughter have a second chance at life," said Natalie Sanchez.

She plans to hit the ground running, resuming her busy schedule of softball, basketball, and cheerleading.