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Phoenix Heart Surgeon Ted Diethrich Dies At 81

Ted Diethrich
(Photo courtesy of drteddiethrich.com)
Dr. Ted Diethrich.

A pioneering Phoenix heart surgeon has passed away after a long battle with brain cancer.

Dr. Ted Diethrich founded the Arizona Heart Institute and its foundation in 1971.

The high-profile cardiovascular surgeon performed one of the first heart-lung transplants in Arizona. He died Thursday evening after a four-year battle with brain cancer.

Diethrich served as the Heart Institute’s medical director for 40 years.

He also owned the Arizona Wranglers, a football team in the United States Football League, in the early 1980s. He is survived by his wife and two children.

Dr. Ted Diethrich was 81. 

Al Macias, former KJZZ news director, retired as KJZZ's news director in 2022. He rejoined the station as a features reporter in 2023 and also as a part-time editor in 2024.