René Favaloro
The humble Argentine surgeon who revolutionized heart medicine by pioneering the coronary bypass, saving millions of lives worldwide.
1923–2000 (age 77)·Argentine cardiac surgeon·Birthday: July 14·The Greatest Generation
Biography
René Favaloro was a man of profound principle, whose medical genius was matched only by his commitment to public health. After years as a country doctor in rural Argentina, he traveled to the Cleveland Clinic, driven by a desire to master the emerging field of cardiovascular surgery. There, in 1967, he performed the first successful coronary artery bypass graft using a vein from the patient's leg, a procedure that would become the standard for treating blocked arteries. Rather than patent his technique, he published it freely, believing it belonged to humanity. He returned to Argentina to found the Favaloro Foundation, a non-profit hospital and medical school dedicated to equitable, advanced care. Tragically, despairing over the country's economic crisis and its impact on his foundation, he died by suicide. His legacy, however, is the countless heartbeats sustained by the operation he perfected.
The Greatest Generation
1901–1927
Grew up during the Depression, fought World War II, and built the postwar economic boom. Defined by shared sacrifice, institutional trust, and a belief that hard work and loyalty would be rewarded.
René was born in 1923, placing them squarely in The Greatest Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When René Was Born
The biggest hits of 1923
#1 Movie
The Covered Wagon
René's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1923Born
The Great Kanto earthquake devastates Tokyo
President: Calvin Coolidge"Yes! We Have No Bananas" — Billy Jones
1928Started school
Alexander Fleming discovers penicillin; Mickey Mouse debuts
President: Calvin Coolidge"Ol' Man River" — Paul WhitemanBest Picture: Wings
1936Became a teenager
Jesse Owens wins four golds at the Berlin Olympics
Gas: $0.19/galPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"The Way You Look Tonight" — Fred AstaireBest Picture: The Great Ziegfeld
1939Could drive
World War II begins; The Wizard of Oz premieres
Gas: $0.19/galMin wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Over the Rainbow" — Judy GarlandBest Picture: Gone with the Wind
1941Could vote
Pearl Harbor attack brings the US into WWII
Gas: $0.19/galHome: $3,060Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Chattanooga Choo Choo" — Glenn MillerBest Picture: How Green Was My Valley
1944Turned 21
D-Day: Allied forces land at Normandy
Gas: $0.21/galHome: $3,400Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Swinging on a Star" — Bing CrosbyBest Picture: Going My Way
1953Turned 30
DNA structure discovered by Watson and Crick
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $8,750Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Song from Moulin Rouge" — Percy FaithBest Picture: From Here to Eternity
1963Turned 40
JFK assassinated in Dallas; Martin Luther King's 'I Have a Dream' speech
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $13,100Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"Sugar Shack" — Jimmy Gilmer & The FireballsBest Picture: Tom Jones
1973Turned 50
US withdraws from Vietnam; Roe v. Wade decided
Gas: $0.39/galHome: $22,100Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Ole Oak Tree" — Tony Orlando & DawnBest Picture: The Sting
1983Turned 60
Internet adopts TCP/IP, creating the modern internet
Gas: $1.16/galHome: $57,700Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Every Breath You Take" — The PoliceBest Picture: Terms of Endearment
1993Turned 70
European Union officially established
Gas: $1.11/galHome: $86,600Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"I Will Always Love You" — Whitney HoustonBest Picture: Schindler's List
2000Died at 77
Y2K passes without incident; contested Bush-Gore election
Gas: $1.51/galHome: $119,600Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Breathe" — Faith HillBest Picture: Gladiator
Key Achievements
- Performed the first successful coronary artery bypass surgery using the saphenous vein in 1967 at the Cleveland Clinic.
- Founded the Favaloro Foundation in Buenos Aires, a leading cardiovascular center and medical university.
- Authored over 300 medical papers and several textbooks on thoracic and cardiovascular surgery.
- Championed the concept of socialized medicine and equitable access to healthcare in Argentina.
Did You Know?
Before his surgical career, he served as a doctor in a remote rural town in La Pampa, Argentina.
He was an avid reader of history and literature, and authored several non-medical books on social and political topics.
He turned down lucrative job offers in the United States to return and work in Argentina.
He never patented his bypass technique, ensuring it could be used by any surgeon without restriction.
“The advances in medicine and bioengineering will be for naught if they are not accompanied by a reduction of poverty and a more equitable distribution of wealth.”
