A world-class surgeon and head of the trauma center, Red Duke was responsible for bringing Life Flight to Hermann Hospital in 1976, making it the first civilian hospital in the world with helicopter ambulances.
Years earlier, as a surgical resident at Parkland Hospital in Dallas, he was the first to see President Kennedy when he was brought into the ER in 1963, and he was the man in charge of treating Governor John Connally. The Governor often said that Red Duke saved his life.
Over the years, he hosted a couple of TV series on medicine, and in 1986, a TV drama series “Buck James” was based on his life. Unfortunately, even with Dennis Weaver in the title role, that series couldn’t live up to the real-life drama that was Red Duke.
In a statement yesterday, Dr. Giuseppe Colasurdo, president of UTHealth and dean of its medical school, said "Dr. Duke was a true pioneer — a talented and tireless surgeon, a dedicated and inspiring educator, and a friend and mentor to everyone he met. He never sought to be a leader, but became one naturally through his brilliance, compassion, patience and selflessness."
I heard Red Duke stories first hand for years. My wife ran the blood bank at Hermann when Life Flight came into being, so she interacted with the trauma center constantly. She says all the accolades are true and well deserved, but she also remembers that Red Duke had the gift of remembering everyone’s name and would ask about them and their families when they met in the hall. He treated everyone like a friend.
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