HOUSTON, Texas (AP) -- The skin of the 7-year-old Iraqi boy carried a bluish hue, and he could barely breathe. Doctors said he could die in his teenage years unless a heart defect was repaired.
This week, with the help of some Texas soldiers, Kadhem Kathem had open heart surgery in Houston and is on his way to recovery.
"Today is a very happy day," his father, Jawad Kathem, said in Arabic. He spoke to The Associated Press through a translator.
Kadhem began suffering from the congenital defect about eight months ago. His skin color changed as the abnormality obstructed blood flow to the lungs, preventing his blood from being oxygenated.
He was brought to the hospital at Tallil Air Force Base near Nasiriyah, and soldiers with the 56th Brigade Combat Team, 36th Infantry Division of the Texas National Guard learned about his case.
