Memorial service held for Houston heart surgeon Dr. Cooley
HOUSTON -- A memorial service was held on Monday in honor of a pioneer in the medical industry.
Guests and loved ones arrived to mourn the loss of Dr. Denton Cooley, a man who saved many lives.
Dr. Cooley got his medical degree 72 years ago.
He served in the military and returned to Texas to continue serving others, as a doctor.
He started preforming heart surgeries at Texas Children's Hospital 60 years ago, shaping it's pediatric heart program.
From there, he founded the Texas Heart Institute at St. Luke's Episcopal Hospital, a nonprofit that's made significant contributes in the fight against heart disease.
Since then, he's met presidents, received national honors and impacted an industry that's touched lives across globe.
While Dr. Cooley may be gone, his legacy lives on.
Dr. Denton Cooley was 96 years old.
After his death, Eyewitness News spoke with Cooley's family about their memories of a man who pioneered heart transplantation, developed an artificial heart, and founded the Texas Heart Institute.
"He made sure he had time for each one of us, all of my children, all of their children, all of our grandchildren," Susan Cooley said.
