William K. Nasser

William K. Nasser, MD Internationally-renowned physician William K. Nasser, remembered by colleagues as Indiana's "Father of Cardiology." The Terre Haute native who defied the odds throughout his life, died Friday Sept 2, 2005 at St. Vincent Hospital in Indianapolis. The internationally-renowned physician was the founder, in 1973, of Nasser, Smith & Pinkerton Cardiology (NSP). In 1999, NSP merged with Northside Cardiology and Storer Schmidt & Associates to form The Care Group, LLC, a practice recognized worldwide as a premier site for cardiovascular services and research as well as the largest non-academic cardiology practice in the United States. The visitation for Dr. Nasser, age 72, will be held Monday, September 5 from 2-8 pm at Leppert Life Story Funeral Home, Nora Chapel, 740 East 86th Street, Indianapolis. Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated Tuesday, September 6 at 10 am at St. Luke Catholic Church, 7575 Holiday Drive East, Indianapolis. A second visitation will begin Wednesday, September 7 at 10:00 am and the burial will follow at 12 noon at Roselawn Memorial Park Cemetery, 7500 North Clinton, Terre Haute. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the St. Vincent Foundation, Indiana University School of Medicine, Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology, Indiana State University, St. Mary-of-the-Woods College in Terre Haute, St. George Orthodox Church in Indianapolis, St. George Orthodox Church in Terre Haute, or to a charity of the giver's choice. Friends are invited to visit www.lifestorynet.com where you may read Dr. Nasser's Life Story or share personal memories. His parents, T. K. and Maude Nasser, preceded him in death. He is survived by his wife, Wanda; son Thomas K. Nasser, DDS and daughter-in-law Jan Nasser; son Tony K. Nasser, MD; daughter Teresa Tanoos Carlock and son-in-law Steve Carlock; grandchildren, William T. Tanoos, Anthony A. Tanoos, Taylor K. Nasser, Tiah K. Nasser and William K. Nasser II; sisters, Beverly Radez and Dolores Polifroni; and two nephews, John Radez and William Radez. "Bill Nasser is the Father of Cardiology in the state of Indiana," said Dennis K. Dickos, MD, Chairman of the Board of The Care Group. "He founded the cardiology program at St. Vincent Hospital, and then shared his expertise and set the standard of quality care, delivering cardiovascular services and establishing clinics statewide." "We are deeply saddened to announce the sudden death of our friend and colleague," added Clifford C. Hallam, CEO of The Care Group. "Dr. Nasser was a pioneer in the field of cardiovascular medicine and an incredible man, as well." The road to becoming one of the world's foremost cardiologists was not an easy one for this son of an immigrant father from Damascus, Syria. While serving with the U.S. Army in Korea between the ages of 18 and 20, Nasser decided he wanted to do something with his life "to justify my existence." Though he had not been a particularly good student in high school or during his first two years of college, he resolved to pursue medicine as a career. When he returned to Indiana State University (ISU) following an honorable discharge from the Army, he shared his ambition with the ISU Dean of Men - who reviewed his transcript, laughed, and told him on the spot that he wasn't smart enough to be a doctor. The dean then proclaimed that he would prove his assessment to the young returning soldier - and proceeded to enroll him in second-semester chemistry, physics, biology, and algebra classes, all without Nasser ever having taken any of the first semester classes. Dr. Nasser always was proud to relate that he earned a 4.0 grade point average in every class that semester, and all subsequent classes, to receive his BS degree in 1957. (His explanation: "I was simply a late bloomer.") Years later, Dr. Nasser was honored as a Distinguished Alumnus of Indiana State, and served as a member of the school's Board of Trustees. Nasser entered the Indiana University School of Medicine in 1957, and was successfully pursuing his dream when a bacterial infection in his heart temporarily derailed his efforts. The infection severely damaged one of his heart valves; as a result, he found himself becoming one of the world's first "open heart" patients at a time when odds were squarely against the patient surviving the procedure. Altogether, the heart valve was replaced three times - in 1961, 1967 and 1979. The self-professed late bloomer graduated from the IU School of Medicine in 1961, and completed his internship and residency in Internal Medicine, followed by a fellowship in Cardiovascular Disease. He served on the faculty at the IU School of Medicine until 1973, when he was recruited by St. Vincent Hospital, Indianapolis, to help "start a heart program." That heart program became Nasser, Smith & Pinkerton Cardiology, now The Care Group, which has more than 130 physicians at over 50 office and clinic locations throughout the state. Its physicians have pioneered many of the treatments commonplace in cardiology today, including angioplasty, atherectomy and intra-coronary stents. Nasser survived numerous other situations during his lifetime, most notably a scuba diving accident in 1980 in which he, his sons and a nephew nearly drowned seven miles off the Florida coast when their boat sank. His youngest son, Tony, saved his father's life by keeping him afloat until the US Coast Guard rescued them 16 hours later. He also was a liver transplant recipient, due to an irreparably damaged liver as a result of blood transfusions received during his previous heart valve surgeries. His life's adventures were chronicled in his book, Near to My Heart - An American Dream, an inspirational tale of determination and survival published in 2003. Sales of the book have raised more than $500,000 to benefit a variety of Hoosier institutions including the St. Vincent Foundation, Indiana University School of Medicine, Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology, Indiana State University, St. Mary-of-the-Woods College, St. George Orthodox Church in Indianapolis, and St. George Orthodox Church in his hometown of Terre Haute. Dr. Nasser received a multitude of honors during his lifetime, including the Sagamore of the Wabash, the Otis R. Bowen Distinguished Leadership Award from the Dean's Council of the Indiana University School of Medicine, the St. Vincent Foundation's Physician Servant-Leader Award, the Distinguished Physician of the Year Award from St. Vincent Hospital, the American Heart Association's Lifetime Achievement Award and Cor Vitae Award for Outstanding Service, The Indianapolis Senior Center's Community Leadership Award, and the 1997 Indiana Entrepreneur of the Year Award. He was a member of many local, state and national organizations including the Board of Associates of Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology, the Indiana Public Health Foundation Board of Directors, Indiana State University Foundation Board of Directors, Central Indiana Council on Aging Foundation Board of Directors, Indiana University Medical Center Dean's Council Board of Directors, Chairman of the St.Vincent Hospital Foundation Board of Directors, and Indiana University Medical Center Alumni Council. Additional information about Dr. Nasser's life and career can be found at billnasser.com. Copies of his book may also be purchased here, to benefit the previously mentioned charities. In summary, a quote by Henry David Thoreau often was used to exemplify Dr. Nasser: "If one advances confidently in the direction of his dreams, and endeavors to live the life which he has imagined, he will meet with a success unexpected in common hours."