Police Locate Transplant Patient Using GPS Cell TechnologyPOSTED: 3:31 pm EDT May 8,
2007 SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. -- Police located a 10-year-old boy awaiting a heart transplant by finding his mother's cell phone with global-positioning technology, a technique usually used to find criminals.John Paul May, of Harrisville, had the successful surgery at Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh on Saturday night but came dangerously close to being passed over for the donor heart until police tracked down the boy and his mother at a university jazz festival.The hospital called state police Saturday afternoon because officials couldn't reach John's parents to let them know a donor heart had been found. When police couldn't find the boy or reach him by phone, cardiologist Dr. Brian Feingold and a fellow cardiologist asked police to track down May and his mother.Police contacted Sprint to get the coordinates of his mother's cell phone. "The only time you can use it is life or death or to track someone wanted in a homicide," state police Cpl. James Green said. Otherwise, police must get a warrant from a judge. Using the coordinates, state police tracked the phone of John's mother.John's mother, Sue, said she and her son were at a jazz concert at Slippery Rock University when police finally tracked her down.Police stopped the jazz concert that was happening and announced they were looking for John."And then the officer went to the conductor and he talked to the conductor, this is while the music is playing, the director, he's directing the band," said Sue May. "And then the conductor stopped the music and turned around, and then I thought, this must be really important for him to stop the music, and I didn't think it was for me."But May said the police officer took the microphone, asked for her and then announced in front of the entire audience that a new heart was waiting for her son.The crowd of some 500 jumped to their feet and gave the boy a standing ovation as he left, said Steve Hawk, a music professor who conducted the concert."The whole time we're walking, everybody is clapping and cheering," said Sue May. "It was just so amazing." "I've been in the entertainment business for 30 years and never had such an emotional, shocking event happen at something live," Hawk said.Doctors only had four hours to give John Paul his new heart. His mother said she is grateful police never gave up in their quest to find her.John Paul told his mother he is anxious to get out of the hospital and get back to checking out the jazz concerts again. Related Links: More County NewsGet RSS | E-Mail Alerts Copyright 2007 by ThePittsburghChannel. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report. |
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