All that we can know about those we have loved and lost is that they would wish us to remember them with a more intensified realization of their reality. What is essential does not die but clarifies. The highest tribute to the dead is not grief but gratitude.
— Thornton Wilder
I join the rest of the cardiovascular surgery community in honoring with gratitude the lives of three surgical pioneers who have recently departed.
Jerome H. Kay, MD (1921–2015)
Best known for his contributions to heart valve surgery. Co-created the Kay-Shiley valve, one of the longest-lived mechanical caged-disc valves. Chief of Cardiac and Thoracic Surgery, University of Southern California, 1956–1982.
Floyd D. Loop, MD (1936–2015)
Helped to develop and refine coronary artery bypass grafting, especially the use of internal thoracic artery grafts. Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Cleveland Clinic, 1989–2004.
Jack M. Matloff, MD (1933–2015)
Contributed to many aspects of cardiac surgery, helping to establish it as a mature specialty. Chairman, Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, 1969–1998.
May the legacies of these innovators continue to inspire the cardiovascular community for generations to come.
