Student Shot During Robbery, Almost Dies, Returns to Same Hospital As a Doctor Years Later

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One man’s life changed in the blink of an eye; one moment, he was in his car after work, the next, he'd been shot and narrowly escaped death. According to him, the months spent recovering changed his career perspective, and over a decade later, he started his surgical residency at the same hospital where his life was saved.

In July 2007, then-22-year-old Kevin Morton Jr., from Detroit, Michigan, was a student at Oakland University and working in a Detroit Arby’s. On a seemingly ordinary night, while sitting in his car after his shift, a stranger appeared, coldly shot him in the stomach, and robbed him. The man tried to drive himself to the police station a mile away but passed out and crashed after half a mile. “All I could think about was my younger sisters, It’s funny, but that’s the only thought I had. I kept thinking, ‘I have to stay alive for them,’” Morton told CNN.

Luckily, he was rushed to St. John’s Hospital, where Dr. Dharti Sheth-Zelmanski was the trauma surgeon on duty. The bullet had pierced his stomach, and his injuries were life-threatening. An intern even told his family that he was unlikely to make it through the night. “I think they had kind of given up,” Dr. Sheth said, per People. “I wasn’t going to give up on him ... I figured if we can control the bleeding, we have a chance.”

While the young man survived thanks to the efforts of his surgeon, he had one long road ahead of him. According to the Detroit News, the young man had to undergo five surgeries, spent nearly two months in the hospital, and spent over a year in recovery.

During this time, Dr. Sheth took a particular interest in Morton. “Most surgeons only see patients during the operation, and maybe a follow-up appointment,” Morton later told CNN. “[Sheth] was very involved post-care. She kept my family in the loop and continued to check in even after I left the hospital. She was very motivating.”

In spite of how difficult his situation was, Morton said that surviving such a trauma “provided a moment of clarity.” And so, he decided to pursue a career as a doctor.

“Kevin says I inspired him to be a doctor,” Dr. Sheth explained. “He had mentioned during recovery that he wanted to go into medicine, then he called to say he was going to medical school at Michigan State. I was so happy for him.”

He graduated from Medical School at Michigan State and in June 2019 commenced his surgical residency at St. John’s Hospital, the same place where his life had nearly been lost. “It was weird walking down those corridors again,” he said.

The police never found the man who shot him; however, Morton says he has since forgiven him. “Holding on to things like that tend to hold you back,” Morton said. “It’s the only way to move forward.”

He eventually married, had a daughter, and bought a house in his hometown. Dr. Seth even attended his wedding. “It seems like everything in my life is perfect. It’s like a dream come true,” he said.