A father and mother who donated parts of their lungs to prevent their daughter's death chastised medical ethics experts Friday for criticizing the unique transplant surgery.

"We tried to save our daughter. That's all we tried to do," James Sewell, 55, said at the University of Southern California's University Hospital. He said criticism of the Jan. 29 transplant that saved the life of 21-year-old Stacy Sewell "really ticks me off."

The parents spoke before James Sewell, an aircraft computer quality control manager for Honeywell Inc., returned to the couple's home in the Mojave Desert town of Quartz Hill. Barbara Sewell will be in hospital until next week.