Texas company keeps GI's heart beating

AUSTIN, Texas (KXAN) - It was a day that totally changed Major Jonathan Silk's life, April 9, 2004. A day he says he will never forget.

While on a combat mission in Iraq his unit was hit by a grenade.

"During an attack on a bridge i received several hits to chest during a fire fight, and the next morning I had a big bruise on my chest," said Major Silk.

It was a hit to chest that he didn't know caused major damage to a valve in his heart. It wasn't until he came back home from duty and visited a cardiologist four months later that the problem was revealed..

"The impact from being hit had tore a mitral valve and there was 40% leakage," said Major Silk.

So he had to undergo surgery and received a mechanical valve to fix the problem. It's a surgery that he says saved his life.

Wednesday, he came back to the On-x headquarters in Austin just to say thank you to workers like Roger Leikam, who has been manufacturing the the valves with On-x for nearly 15 years.

"Everyday you come in and it becomes normal," said Leikam. "It's not that you forget, but it kind of goes to the back your mind that wow every time i touch this part I'm saving someone's life.

The plant, located in northeast Austin, has produced 100,000 of the valves worldwide saving lives like Major Silk.

"To hear him say that we are the heroes to him that's just touching," said Leikam. "We are thanking him for his job."

And Major Silk not only recovered from the valve surgery he completed 8 triathlons, and since went to continued his duties in the army.

"I just pushed the limit and was like why cant i be like i was before," said Major Silk.

He's now taking the time to say thank you to the people that allowed him to continue his life. A company here in Austin that keeps hearts beating across the world.

"I want them to know they make a difference everyday," said Major Silk. "It made a huge difference for me for my family for my friends."