STATE : Heart, Lung Recipient, 7, Dies

A 7-year-old cystic fibrosis patient who underwent a heart-lung transplant in April died early today at Stanford University Hospital of complications of surgery, hospital officials said.

David Laird Jr., who suffered from a severe form of the disease since birth, died of postoperative infection and pneumonia, a hospital spokesman said.

The boy, son of Deanna and David Laird Sr. of Ceres, was the youngest patient with the disease to have a heart-lung transplant at the hospital.

“David was an exceptional kid. He had a lot of spirit,” said hospital spokesman Diarmuid McGuire. “He was a fighter. That was one of the reasons he was chosen, I think, for this very difficult procedure. His spirit was so strong.”