University of Maryland Medical Center

The second person to receive a transplanted heart from a pig has died, nearly six weeks after the highly experimental surgery, his Maryland doctors announced Tuesday.

Lawrence Faucette, 58, was dying from heart failure and ineligible for a traditional heart transplant when he received the genetically modified pig heart on Sept. 20.

In a somber announcement, the University of Maryland Medical Center revealed the passing of Lawrence Fawcett, a 58-year-old patient who made history as the second recipient of a genetically modified pig heart transplant. The groundbreaking procedure had captured global attention, offering hope for those facing terminal heart disease.