A U.S. Army soldier from Long Island who made it his personal mission to save an Iraqi boy wasn't able to see the end result of his work Tuesday.

Schneider Children's Hospital surgeons successfully performed open-heart surgery for four hours last week on an Iraqi boy born with a hole in his heart. The boy's father befriended Captain Brian Freeman, who was serving in Iraq, and told Freeman his son's story. Freeman took it upon himself to make sure the man's son received treatment to repair abnormalities in his heart valves.

Tragically, the captain was kidnapped and killed last month in Iraq. Freeman's wife, Charlotte, received his personal belongings the same day she met the boy her husband saved.

To view the press conference with the Iraqi boy who had surgery on LI, go to channel 612 on your iO digital cable box and select iO Extra.