Son remembers Marius Barnard’s defining moments
Biggest goal was to better the lives of ordinary people
HEN pioneering heart surgeon and anti-apartheid campaigner Marius Barnard took his last breath yesterday, he did so having fulfilled his biggest goal – bettering the lives of ordinary people.
Barnard, 87, who helped his more famous brother Christiaan perform the world’s first human heart transplant in Cape Town in December 1967, died in Hermanus early yesterday. He had been battling prostate cancer for 17 years.
Speaking about his father’s long career and achievements, his son, Adam, said: “He fulfilled his dying wish of helping the common man.”
While the family were sad, they were also relieved because his father’s condition had deteriorated and he was in pain, Barnard said.
“He kept himself alive far longer than he should have. The little b****r didn’t want to die,” Adam said.
He, his mother and two sisters had been present when Barnard died.
The doctor’s last word had simply been his wife’s name: “Inez.”
Adam recalled that as a child he didn’t see much of his father, who was in the early stages of his career, often working days and nights and travelling a lot.
WAccording to the Insurance Hall of Fame’s website, Barnard began his career as a general physician in Zimbabwe. In 1966 he joined the department of cardiothoracic surgery at UCT’s teaching hospitals and then became a member of the team who performed the world’s first heart transplant at Groote Schuur Hospital.
A description of Barnard’s 2011 autobiography, Defining Moments, on publisher Random Struik’s website said he came from humble beginnings. The son of missionaries who lived in Beaufort West in the Karoo, he worked his way up to become “one of the world’s leading cardiac surgeons”.
Adam said his father would be remembered for a number of reasons.
“He will always be admired for courting controversy and shunning the limelight.”
Barnard, whose relationship with his brother was described as “acrimonious” and “complicated”, stirred controversy after his brother died at a hotel in Cyprus in September 2001.
He made headlines when he announced he would not attend the funeral in Beaufort West. It was reported that he had take this decision out of respect for his father.
His father, Adam, had preached to coloured people in the town, leading to the brothers being ostracised by whites.
But the town embraced Chris Barnard after he became famous for performing the first heart transplant.
Adam noted that his father had been a Progressive Federal Party MP in the 1980s. “He wanted the unbanning of the ANC,” he said.
In the early 1980s, Barnard developed critical illness insurance. Adam said this had “benefited millions of people”.
On his Facebook page last year, Barnard said this had been his proudest achievement.
Adam said his family would have to adapt to being without Barnard.
Barnard leaves his wife and son, and two daughters, Marie Kalil and Naudene Leisegang.
His funeral will be held on Wednesday at 10.30am at the United Church in Hermanus.