Anthony Stokes, the 15-year-old DeKalb resident whose family feared he would die if he didn’t get a new heart, is in recovery today after getting a new heart.

Mark Bell, a spokesman for the family, confirmed today that Stokes was in surgery for five hours Tuesday evening.

Just last week, Stokes was in the middle of a national debate after the hospital rejected him as a candidate for a transplant because he had a “history of noncompliance.”

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution first reported on the case on Aug. 12, and the hospital reversed course on Aug. 13, not only placing Stokes on the list to get a transplant, but also making his case a priority.

Stokes suffered from dilated cardiomyopathy, in which the heart’s main pumping chamber, the left ventricle, fails to pump enough blood.

About the Author

Keep Reading

The 2026 FIFA World Cup will expand to 48 teams, marking the first expansion of the field since 1998. (Jason Getz/AJC)

Credit: Jason Getz / Jason.Getz@ajc.com

Featured

Managing Partner at Atlantica Properties, Darion Dunn (center) talks with Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens during a tour following the ribbon cutting of Waterworks Village as part of the third phase of the city’s Rapid Housing Initiative on Wednesday, Dec. 3, 2025.
(Miguel Martinez/AJC)

Credit: Miguel Martinez-Jimenez