Health & Fitness

Florida Businessman Gives $1M To LI Hospital After Life Saving Surgery

The Long John Silver's executive gifted $1 million to support a research fellowship, after his own lifesaving surgery.

Rick and Alleen Duffy of Stuart, FL are slated to fund a fellowship in cardiothoracic surgery.
Rick and Alleen Duffy of Stuart, FL are slated to fund a fellowship in cardiothoracic surgery. (© LILA PHOTO)

BAY SHORE, NY —A Florida businessman’s gratitude for a lifesaving surgery at South Shore University recently led him to make a $1 million gift to support a research fellowship in cardiothoracic surgery.

Rick Duffy, the executive chairman of fast food chain Long John Silver's, was spending last summer on Long Island with his wife, Alleen, when he experienced frequent episodes of shortness of breath and fatigue.

As the couple sailed on their boat in Huntington Harbor, Duffy began experiencing signs of heart failure, such as feeling winded and tired almost daily.

Find out what's happening in Bay Shorewith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Duffy, who resides in Stuart, FL, was born with a congenital heart condition known as a bicuspid aortic valve, in which the aortic valve has two cusps instead of the usual three. It can lead to a narrowing of the valve opening and an enlarged aorta, making it harder for the heart to pump blood to the body.

About six years ago, during an X-ray for pneumonia, doctors discovered an aneurysm — or a weak, bulging spot on an artery wall — growing above Duffy’s aorta, next to the defective valve. The combination of these issues presented potentially dangerous risks over time, including developing symptoms of congestive heart failure, a tear in the aortic wall or rupture of the aneurysm.

Find out what's happening in Bay Shorewith free, real-time updates from Patch.

“I saw many doctors over the years who said it was too early to operate, but I felt like I was playing Russian roulette with my life,” said Duffy.

While on Long Island, a friend referred him to cardiologist Dr. James Klepper at Huntington Hospital.

After runnings tests on Duffy, Dr. Klepper called his colleague Dr. Robert Kalimi, chair of cardiovascular and thoracic surgery at SSUH in Bay Shore. Dr. Kalimi agreed that Duffy’s condition warranted immediate attention, and he successfully replaced the defective valve and removed the aneurysm in open-heart surgery.

Duffy, who now is recovering well and set to return to his active lifestyle, was so grateful that he decided to pay it forward.

“Dr. Kalimi and his team saved my life, and I wanted to give something back because they gave me the gift of a few more years,” said Duffy. “I want to help them raise the profile of their program so that many other patients can also benefit from the excellent care they provide.”

The $1 million gift will establish the Rick and Alleen Duffy Fellowship in Cardiothoracic Surgery, the hospital announced on Wednesday. The funding will allow Dr. Kalimi and his colleagues to more effectively collect outcomes data, conduct research and expand their medical education program as they train future physicians at the Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell.

“We rank among the best in the state for cardiac surgical care, but we really pride ourselves on the pre- and post-operative care provided by a phenomenal team,” said Dr. Kalimi. “At Northwell, we come together with a multidisciplinary approach to take care of each patient, looking at them as a whole person with medical, social and psychological needs.”

Dr. Kalimi was also recognized for having mortality rates significantly lower than the statewide average for certain cardiac procedures, according to a 2022 New York State Department of Health report.

“We are so grateful to Mr. and Mrs. Duffy for this gift to establish the Rick and Alleen Duffy Fellowship in Cardiothoracic Surgery,” said SSUH Executive Director Donna Moravick. “It is a testament to South Shore University Hospital’s position as a world-class destination for cardiac surgical care and underscores our mission as a teaching hospital that is dedicated to training new generations of physicians who provide innovative, patient-centered care.”

The Duffys’ generosity contributes to Northwell’s Outpacing the Impossible campaign, a $1 billion comprehensive fundraising effort to fuel innovation to advance health care and support Northwell’s promise to the people it serves.

Launched in October 2018, the campaign supports capital projects, improves hospitals and clinical programs, advances research and funds endowment for teaching and research initiatives.


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here