1 Department of Surgery, Section of Trauma and Emergency Medicine, University of Colorado Health Science Center, Rocky Mountain Poison and Drug Center, Denver General Hospital, Denver
Joseph W. St Geme Jr, MD, died in my emergency department on Oct 11, 1986. Our relationship began when I served as one of his residents when he was the Chief of Pediatrics at Harbor-UCLA. It ended when I pronounced him dead. In the intervening years, I entered emergency medicine, and he became the Dean of the University of Colorado School of Medicine. He achieved recognition and status reserved for very few, with a list of awards, titles, and affiliations that is truly magnificent. While most will describe his greatness by recounting this list, a fortunate few have been touched by, and recall instead, another kind of greatness that had nothing to do with his rank, title, or achievements.