Doctor performs surgery on young patient's tattered stuffed animal

Mike Wazowski and James Sullivan from Monsters, Inc.

(Image credit: Jason Kempin/Getty Images)

published 12 January 2017

Ryan, 9, has undergone eight surgeries over the course of his life, and during each one, he's been accompanied by his favorite stuffed animal, Mike Wazowski from Monsters, Inc.

Ryan has several health issues, and Mike brings him comfort during hospital stays. Before Ryan's last operation, his urologist at Children's Hospital of Wisconsin, Dr. Travis Groth, thought Mike looked worn out, and decided he needed to have surgery, too. Groth had his surgical team come into Ryan's room, where he identified Mike as the patient. Groth then got to work, suturing Mike's arm and making Ryan's day. A spokesperson from Children's Hospital of Wisconsin told People both patients are "recovering well at home."

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Catherine Garcia has worked as a senior writer at The Week since 2014. Her writing and reporting have appeared in Entertainment Weekly, The New York Times, Wirecutter, NBC News and "The Book of Jezebel," among others. She's a graduate of the University of Redlands and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.

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