Jose Rafael Passalacqua Santiago

Jose Rafael Passalacqua, M.D. (1905-2006) was born in Coamo, Puerto Rico April 23, 1905. The youngest of nine children, he always had an afinity for medicine. In his youth he graduated from George Washington University with a degree in medicine and subsequently obtained his specialization from the University of Middlesex in NY. Upon his return to Puerto Rico he found that his specialization was not valid. Therefore he decided to go to Mexico and begin his specialization over again. He was working at a hospital in Ponce when in March 27, 1937 what subsequently became known as the Ponce Masacre occurred. He obtained his second medical degree from Universidad Autonoma de Mexico in 1945.

He became head doctor to Pablo Casals one faithful day when during rehearsals for the first Casals Festival the famous cellist had a heart attack. This became such an international issue that US President Dwight Eisenghower sent his own doctor to make sure that the famous composer was being taken care of. The doctor provlaimed that Dr. Passalacqua had done precisely what he needed to do to save his life.

Dr. Passalacqua was also the first doctor to ever use a defibrilator in Puerto Rico.

Upon his retirement at the ripe age of 75 he researched an article on the causes of death of Saint Francis of Asis "Sobre las causas de la muerte de San Francisco de Asis" published in "Estudios Franciscanos" 1989.

He also published four poetry books: "Horizontes", Brevario lírico”, “Ecos de vida y Vecino mar” y “Diálogo marítimo: 90 poemas de amor”.

Casals even composed music to one of the poems in the book "Horizontes" the published music can be found in the last pages of the poetry book.

He passed away July 6, 2006 at the age of 101