DR. FRED LEWIS WAS KNOWN
FOR HIS GOOD BEDSIDE MANNER.
HE HAD A SPECIAL WAY OF
MAKING HIS PATIENTS FEEL AT
HOME.
THEY COULD TALK TO HIM LIKE
HE WAS A BROTHER OR DAD OR
UNCLE.
YOU COULD TELL HIM THINGS YOU
WOULDN'T WANT TO TELL ANYBODY
ELSE.
DR. LEWIS HAD HIS OWN
PRACTICE AND WORKED AT OPEN
CITIES HEALTH CENTER IN ST.
PAUL FOR 34 YEARS TREATING
PATIENTS WHO DIDN'T HAVE
INSURANCE.
IN THIS WEEK'S LIFE STORY,
ANGELA DAVIS SHOWS US WHAT
INSPIRED HIM TO BECOME A
DOCTOR.
DR. LEWIS WAS KNOWN FOR
NEVER BEING ABLE TO SAY "NO" TO
A PATIENT WHO WANTED TO SEE
HIM, EVEN IF THAT PERSON DIDN'T
HAVE AN APPOINTMENT.
IF SOMEONE WALKED IN, IT WAS
PUT HIM IN.
I WILL SEE THEM AND WE ARE LIKE
OH DR. LEWIS' SCHEDULE IS
PACKED.
IT'S STANDING ROOM OUT THERE IN
THE LOBBY.
WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO?
PUT THEM IN.
Reporter: THE STAFF AT OPEN
CITIES SAYS DR. LEWIS WAS ALSO
KNOWN FOR TAKING HIS TIME
DURING APPOINTMENTS, OFFERING A
SYMPATHETIC EAR AND SOMETIMES A
SHOULDER TO CRY ON.
COME IN, NOT TALK TO THEM
ABOUT THEIR HEALTH PROBLEMS BUT
THEIR PROBLEMS THEY ARE HAVING
AT HOME WITH THEIR CHILDREN AND
MAYBE OTHER THINGS.
DR. LEWIS IS ONE OF THOSE OLD-
FASHIONED DOCTORS, KIND OF
LIKE.
HE WORKED EVERY SATURDAY, HE
WAS A COMMUNITY DOCTOR, WE ARE
A COMMUNITY CLINIC AND SO THE
PATIENTS ARE STILL COMING LIKE
THEY KNOW HE'S NOT HERE BUT
STILL HERE TO SUPPORT.
Reporter: FRED'S INTEREST IN
MEDICINE CAME AS A CHILD
GROWING UP IN TEXAS.
HE WAS AN ATHLETE AND A SCHOLAR
WHO WATCHED HIS GRANDFATHER DIE
SHORTLY AFTER A SURGERY.
HE WOULD TALK AND TELL HIM
HE WOULD HAVE TO BE THE MAN OF
THE HOUSE NOW AND HE JUST SAW
WHAT WENT ON AND HE JUST KIND
OF DECIDED THAT, YOU KNOW,
EVERYBODY SHOULD HAVE GOOD
HEALTHCARE.
Reporter: AFTER GRADUATING
FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON,
FRED HEADED TO MA HARRY MEDICAL
SCHOOL IN NASHVILLE AND MARRIED
GINN.
TO MAKE SURE HE BECAME A
GOOD DOCTOR SO PEOPLE OF ALL
WALKS OF LIFE WOULD HAVE GOOD
HEALTHCARE.
Reporter: JAMAL LEWIS SAYS
HE AND HIS SIBLINGS WATCHED
THEIR DAD WORK HARD BUT ALSO
MAKE TIME TO HAVE FUN WITH HIS
FAMILY.
WE HAD A GREAT EXAMPLE OF,
YOU KNOW, HOW TO BE A STRONG
PROVIDER AND TO BE A GOOD
HUSBAND, FATHER, THOSE TYPE OF
THINGS AND SO I'LL TAKE THOSE
MEMORIES AND BE ABLE TO
INCORPORATE THAT IN THE WAY
THAT I MANAGE MY HOUSEHOLD AS
WELL.
Reporter: ANGELA DAVIS, WCCO
4 NEWS.
DR. FRED LEWIS ALSO WORKED
AT NORTH POINT WELLNESS CENTER
IN MINNEAPOLIS FOR MORE THAN 25
YEARS.
HE WAS 64 YEARS OLD WHEN HE
LOST HIS BATTLE WITH CANCER ON
FEBRUARY 24th.
IF YOU HAVE A LIFE STORY
