[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 56 (Thursday, May 7, 1998)]
[Senate]
[Pages S4525-S4526]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                COMMEMORATING THE LIFE OF RONALD E. WYNN

  Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, I rise today to commemorate the life of 
Ronald E. Wynn, who died Friday, May 1, 1998. I first met Ron as a 
patient in 1987. He bears the distinction of being the first African-
American to receive a heart transplant at Vanderbilt University Medical 
Center, and I had the honor of performing his surgery. While our 
relationship was initially that of doctor/patient, it later evolved 
into something deeper. Ron's wife describes him as someone who ``always 
had a smile on his face'' and who ``always tried to help other 
people.'' These characteristics, along with our shared desire to 
promote the need for organ donation, caused our friendship to grow.
  Several of my transplant patients came to me in 1987 with the idea of 
bicycling across the state of Tennessee to promote organ donation 
awareness. My initial thought was they were crazy. I told them, ``It's 
one thing to go swimming and riding and jumping running around at a 
controlled event, where help is just around the corner. But to go 
pedaling across a state with nobody around to help and no place to go 
if you get in trouble--it's not twenty-five miles, with people standing 
cheering you on; it's five hundred miles, with long stretches of 
deserted road, and huge hills, and cars zipping past. It's too risky.'' 
Ron was one of those courageous souls who sought to publicize this 
worthwhile goal by participating in this event, and he, along with 
several others, eventually persuaded me that it could be done in a safe 
and effective manner. Because of their influence, I, too, became an 
advocate for this program and took an active role in publicizing and 
promoting this event. ``Transplant Bikers Across Tennessee'' became a 
phenomenal success which helped increase donor awareness across our 
state and our country.
  Ron's contributions to our state spanned a wide range of achievement 
and service. One of our local papers, The Tennessean, chronicled Ron's 
life in its May 5, 1998 edition. Ron graduated from Pearl Senior High 
School in 1965 and from Fisk University in 1969 with a degree in 
physics. He then continued his education by doing graduate work at Fisk 
in physics and mathematics, and put that education to practice by 
working as a health physicist reviewing radioactive material 
applications. Ron also served as a reserve officer in the Navy and was 
the first African-American on the amphibious assault carrier the USS 
Francis Marion.

[[Page S4526]]

While these achievements are impressive and commendable, his family 
stated that he ``will be remembered most of his generous spirit.''
  As hard as you try not to become too attached to your patients, it 
happens all the same. As a physician or a nurse, you will pull for 
them, you cheer them on, you attend to their needs--physically and 
emotionally, and in the end, they make an impression on you that isn't 
erased just because the surgery is completed. Ron's passing is a great 
loss to so many people. It is also a personal loss for me. His loyalty 
to organ donor awareness is to be commended, and, as a tribute to this 
man who sought to help others who depend on organ donation for life, we 
should carry on this work in his memory.
  At the successful completion of the ``Transplant Bikers Across 
Tennessee'' event, Ron and the other participants were engulfed by the 
media. Ron responded by saying, ``A lot of people have called us heroes 
this week, but the real heroes are those people, the ones who donate 
their organs so that out of their tragic deaths people like me can have 
a life.'' Ron will be sorely missed by his family, friends, and 
community. I have made it a goal to continue efforts to increase public 
awareness and to ensure that we are doing all we can to save lives 
through organ donation.

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