As an 8-year-old girl from Michigan was headed into surgery for a heart transplant, she asked Mike Ackerman — a pediatric cardiology fellow at Mayo who was part of her care team — if she was going to live. Dr. Ackerman said, “Of course you’re going to live, and I’m going to dance with you at your prom.”
Ten years later — on April 25, 2009 — Dr. Ackerman flew to Michigan to surprise Stefani Pentiuk at her senior prom to fulfill a promise made years ago.
Dr. Michael Ackerman with Stefani
I work at Mayo Clinic in our Public Affairs Department. Specifically, I work on our media team, helping reporters connect with physicians for interviews. I have had the pleasure of helping share Stefani’s story.
Update June 5, 2005: Dr. Ackerman, Stefani and her parents were featured live in the studio with Harry Smith on the CBS Early Show this morning. See the segment.
I’ve known Dr. Ackerman for about three years, working with him on news releases for his research published in scientific journals and on patient stories with the media. What has struck me about Dr. Ackerman is how beautifully he connects with his patients and their family members. His interest in helping them and getting to know them is incredibly genuine — and his memory of his patients, their specific circumstances and personal stories is amazing. So when he told me about Stefani and that he was traveling to Michigan to surprise her at her prom, I was not surprised.
On the Monday after prom, I talked to Stefani by phone. She told me that when she turned around and saw Dr. Ackerman at her prom, she immediately recognized him. “I would know him anywhere,” she said. And then she cried — which Stefani doesn’t do often. “I was so filled with emotion.”
After sharing a hug, Stefani’s principal announced that a song would be played for Stefani and her friend. Rascal Flatts’ “Bless the Broken Road” began playing.
Not long after the dance, Stefani’s dad, Perry, drove Mike five hours to Detroit to catch a plane to Florida, where he was speaking the next day. The group he was speaking to even rescheduled the time of Dr. Ackerman’s talk, enabling him to be at the prom the night before. Everyone but Stefani seemed to be in on this surprise — and helping to make it work.
But there’s more. Even before Dr. Ackerman entered little Stefani’s life, Mayo cardiologist Martha Grogan did. She has vacationed in Stefani’s town since she was a young girl herself. In 1999, friends told Dr. Grogan about this young girl who was diagnosed with dilated cardiomyopathy and may need a heart transplant. The friend encouraged her to call the Pentiuks. So on a day when Stefani’s mom, Heidi, was very worried about Stefani’s health, the phone rang, Dr. Grogan on the other line offering her help as a cardiologist. Eventually, she helped the Pentiuks, including older sister Anna, bring Stefani to Mayo. “I don’t feel like I was doing anything special,” Dr. Grogan said. “I just wanted to see if I could help.”
Both Dr. Ackerman and Dr. Grogan say they didn’t do anything special. Many beg to disagree. But part of the reason they say that, I think, is because of who they are personally but also because many people at Mayo — whether physicians, nurses or staff members at the front desk — go above and beyond. It’s part of the culture. This prom promise story is obviously a one-in-a-million story, but it’s also a reflection of what we are empowered to do here in our daily work at Mayo — to make a difference in a person’s life.
And it’s a keen reminder to all of us that there is power in words when a person is ill and needs to hear a caring, genuine and hopeful message.
To see more about Stefani’s story, see these features on WCCO-TV and KTTC-TV .
If you would like to share this story with friends, use the sharing toolbar below to post to Facebook or other sites, or simply copy and paste this URL into an email: http://bit.ly/Pwvpj
Tags: Cardiology, Heart, Heart transplant, Martha Grogan, Michael Ackerman, Prom, Sefani Pentiuk
August 25, 2009 at 8:45 pm |
I think this is my story of the month! And it follows the quote :”Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away.”
July 25, 2009 at 10:49 am |
o my goodness that is so sweet he is a wonderful doctor i would of cried my heart out
Liv-Laf-Luv
June 12, 2009 at 7:41 pm |
That was a great thing to do. I am glad that The doctor actually went to the prom!!
June 5, 2009 at 4:55 pm |
I saw the Early Show on Friday, June 5. Doctor Ackerman looks like Harry Smith. It was very nice he made time in his busy schedule to go to the prom.
June 5, 2009 at 7:29 am |
What an amazing story, it brought tears to my eyes. It really shows that there are truly good people out there.
June 2, 2009 at 1:57 pm |
How did he remember making that promise after 10 years?! It is an amazing story!
May 29, 2009 at 4:27 pm |
awww that is so sweet that he kept his promise then surprised her! <3
May 27, 2009 at 12:56 am |
This is sweet!
May 22, 2009 at 10:10 pm |
Very inspiring!! It makes me want to find a way to follow his lead…. how can we all “PAY IT FORWARD”? mmm…
May 22, 2009 at 2:58 pm |
I’m a Mayo employee, and was so touched by reading this story that it made me cry.
I’m also a cancer patient here at Mayo, and have found that the staff that’s treated me within the last six years at Mayo W10, Gonda 4S Gonda 10, RMH Station 9-4, and Charlton 9 have all been very warm, caring, and generally wonderful!!
May 22, 2009 at 11:36 am |
To think he kept a promise made ten years ago.
May 21, 2009 at 9:06 am |
This was such a touching story to me. I work at Mayo Clinic in a cardiology lab and wanted to share my story and thoughts with Dr. Ackerman.
I had surgery (minor in comparison) in my hometown many years ago when I was 6 years old. Back then parents were not allowed to go past the doors on the surgical floor. I was alone, frightened and just sobbing. I didn’t know what to expect. The surgeon already had his mask on when he leaned over my bed and told me to stop crying in a rather harsh tone. “I was too big to be crying like a baby,” he told me. I was so disturbed by that and obviously never forgot it.
Because of your big heart this little girl was reassured that all would turn out fine.
Thank you for being the kind and gentle doctor that you are.
May 21, 2009 at 6:47 am |
Geez, guys, tears in my eyes. Wish there were more folks like this, more stories like this.
May 20, 2009 at 5:08 pm |
That’s what I can call a good service from the heart.
Magnificent Doctor
May 19, 2009 at 5:00 pm |
This is sweet!
May 19, 2009 at 12:57 pm |
LUCKYYY! i would <3 love to find someone who keeps such fantastic promises!!
May 18, 2009 at 7:58 pm |
I love Dr. Ackerman. He is wonderful. xx
May 17, 2009 at 8:11 pm |
Wow! This story is very inspiring to me. I think it was very sweet for him to come to her prom and it touched me. I want to help people in this sameway. It shows a devoted doctor caring for his patient. What a great man.
May 16, 2009 at 10:10 am |
i would love to have a dr. like that and she is wearing a pretty dress.
May 15, 2009 at 1:25 pm |
all i can say is oh my gosh that almost makes me want to cry!
May 15, 2009 at 9:06 am |
By rearranging his schedule, he not only made one young woman’s day, but ultimately touched every person at that prom AND at the conference he spoke at the next day, reminding us all that it is putting people first that matters. It gives me hope in a time when so many are hopeless. Thank you, Dr. Ackerman! (You make Luther College proud!)
May 14, 2009 at 8:24 pm |
Nice going Mike. Nicest guy in medicine I know. Warm regards, Leah
May 14, 2009 at 4:49 pm |
THIS STORY ROCKS!!!!!!!
=)
May 14, 2009 at 2:47 pm |
What a kind man! i am glad we have people in our world like that
May 14, 2009 at 9:58 am |
This is the sweetest thing in the whole world. I am really happy for her
May 12, 2009 at 12:16 pm |
very touching!!! he’s really a kind doctor:D
May 12, 2009 at 9:19 am |
What a wonderful world we live in to have such compassionate people as Dr. Ackerman. I am confident that we have many, many Dr. Ackerman’s out there that also have beautiful stories to tell.
May 11, 2009 at 7:00 pm |
I guess this proves that doctors don’t have to be like “Gregory House” to get the job done. Great story!
May 11, 2009 at 5:42 am |
That is a very nice story, what’s more, it’s usually in a fairy tale. Most people don’t even keep a promise like that.
May 11, 2009 at 5:35 am |
This story brought tears to my eyes. Being a former Michigander and now living in Houston…I hear over and over again about the wondrous Mayo Clinic in Rochester and how many lives are being helped by that Center and the kind doctors there. Every state needs a Mayo Clinic. Dr. Ackerman, you are what all doctor’s should be…A caring and loving physician.
May 11, 2009 at 1:52 am |
This is truly a beautiful, rare story. I am touched! Dr.Ackerman is one of a kind..:) Not every doctor would do the way he did.
May 10, 2009 at 8:28 pm |
What a beautiful story! Thanks to Dr. Ackerman I’m sure Stefani’s mom had a wonderful Mother’s Day as well.
May 10, 2009 at 7:46 pm |
This is so touching! What a wonderful Doctor.