Heart patients reunite with life-saving surgeons in Roslyn, Long Island

ROSLYN, Long Island (WABC) -- Heart patients whose bodies were mended by surgeons commemorated Valentine's Day by reuniting with their doctors.

Bernice Ulanoff and Jessica Arnone both came there with their hearts broken, but had them fixed by surgeons at the heart center of St. Francis Hospital in Roslyn.

It was their chance to get something off their chest.

"I want to thank doctors Petrovian and Robinson," Bernice said.

Jessica Arnone was 23 when complications from the flu led to life threatening heart issues.

"With every breath I took, I thought my baby girl was going to die," said Lynda Arnone, the patient's mother.

"From the bottom of my heart, I want to thank you guys so much," Jessica said.

Bernice was 90 last year when she needed a heart valve reopened, but heart surgery was not an option at her age.

So lucky for her, this same hospital helped to develop a no-surgery procedure called TAVR.

"It went, I forgot about it, and every day I am just thankful I can wake up and take the first step," Bernice said.

Bernice and Stan, her husband, have been together a long time, this June they will celebrate their 70th wedding anniversary.

"She threatens me," Stan said. "Ha, ha, no, we always stay busy, that's right we have hobbies and we laugh."

"That's right, our office is our kitchen table, we are lucky, we are lucky!" Bernice said.

That they are! What about Jessica?

"My boyfriend has a lot to live up to on this Valentine's Day," she said.