Sabres captain Rasmus Dahlin revealed this Friday that his fiancée, Carolina Matovac, received a heart transplant this summer following a traumatic health scare while on vacation in France. In a joint letter, the couple shared details about Matovac’s severe heart failure, which began with the 25-year-old feeling unwell for a few days.
Matovac was transferred to a hospital in France, where she remained on life support for weeks before benefiting from a heart transplant. Finally, she was able to return to Sweden, the couple’s home country, where she began her rehabilitation process. According to Dahlin, she is on her way to “a full recovery.” The couple, who share the same birthday, have been together for several years. Dahlin, who was named captain of the Sabres before last season, delayed his arrival in Buffalo as long as possible for training camp. He is expected to be fully ready for the season, although Matovac remains in Sweden for now. The star defender decided to share details of the experience to raise awareness about CPR training and organ donation. The experience was revealing for Dahlin, and he said he hopes to shed light on the people and infrastructure that helped his family.“Fortunately, she received CPR on multiple occasions, and even for a couple of hours at a time to keep her alive, which ultimately saved her life,” Dahlin wrote.
Rasmus Dahlin
Dahlin was the No. 1 pick in the 2018 draft, the second Swedish player to be selected first overall. He finished sixth in the Norris Trophy voting last season after scoring 68 points (17 goals, 51 assists) in 73 games, averaging 24:14 minutes per game. The Sabres are looking to make the playoffs this season for the first time in Dahlin’s career.“We want to recognize the tireless and often thankless efforts of emergency and medical care professionals everywhere. We cannot thank all organ donors enough, and we are grateful beyond words for the new life that organ donation has given Carolina,” Dahlin wrote.
Rasmus Dahlin
“While Carolina is still working on her rehabilitation to return with me to Buffalo, she has shown incredible determination, spirit, positivity, and resilience that amazes me,” Dahlin wrote. “This has undoubtedly been the most challenging chapter of our lives, yet it is something we have learned a lot from.”
Rasmus Dahlin
