Benjamin Carstens was only days old when he stopped eating normally. Tests revealed something alarming: dangerously high ammonia levels in his blood, caused by a genetic disorder called OTC deficiency, which attacks the liver and can be fatal within minutes if left uncontrolled.
Doctors at Hassenfeld Children’s Hospital in New York explained that only a transplant could cure him, but Benjamin was too small to undergo surgery immediately. That was when his father, Brian Carstens, 28, volunteered as a living donor. The surgery was scheduled for August 18, 2025, which, by pure coincidence, turned out to be Brian’s birthday.
Before entering the operating room, he asked the surgeon to take care of his son. When he woke up, his body aching from the operation, the first thing he asked about was Benjamin. Nine months later, father and son are healthy, and Brian says he would do it again without hesitating for a second.
