3/12/01

LC010312

VAL>> GOOD EVENING. I'M VAL ZAVALA, LIFE AND TIMES TONIGHT ANCHOR AND VICE PRESIDENT OF KCET NEWS AND PUBLIC AFFAIRS. TONIGHT KCET IS PRESENTING A SPECIAL EDITION OF LIFE AND TIMES TONIGHT. DURING THE COURSE OF ITS AWARD-WINNING EIGHT YEARS ON THE AIR, THIS SERIES HAS FEATURED MANY STORIES THAT HAVE LEFT A LASTING IMPRESSION ON OUR VIEWERS. WELL, THIS WEEK WE'RE CELEBRATING BY THANKING OUR FOUNDATION FRIENDS AND YOU, OUR VIEWERS, FOR YOUR SUPPORT. SO ENJOY A SAMPLING OF CLASSIC STORIES THAT HAVE BEEN GATHERED FROM THE BEST OF LIFE AND TIMES TONIGHT.

WE'RE SO PROUD OF THE CONSISTENT QUALITY OF LIFE AND TIMES TONIGHT AND ITS SUCCESS IS LARGELY DUE TO YOU AND YOUR ONGOING FINANCIAL SUPPORT. EACH AND EVERY CONTRIBUTION HELPS KCET PROVIDE ENRICHING EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS LIKE THIS ONE, SO THANKS FOR MAKING THAT HAPPEN.

AND STAY TUNED AS WE PROFILE AN EXTRAORDINARY SURGEON AT COUNTY USC TRAUMA CENTER WHO DOES MORE THAN SAVE LIVES. HE WANTS TO HELP STOP GANG VIOLENCE. THAT'S COMING UP NEXT.

LIFE AND TIMES TONIGHT IS MADE POSSIBLE BY THE FOLLOWING FOUNDATIONS:

THE JAMES IRVINE FOUNDATION
WHICH IS DEDICATED TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF AN INFORMED CALIFORNIA CITIZENRY.

THE L.K. WHITTIER FOUNDATION
DEDICATED TO IMPROVING THE QUALITY OF LIFE BY SUPPORTING INNOVATIVE ENDEAVORS IN THE FIELDS OF MEDICINE, HEALTH, SCIENCE AND EDUCATION.

AND THE CALIFORNIA COMMUNITY FOUNDATION
UNDERWRITING THE SPANISH LANGUAGE TRANSLATION OF LIFE AND TIMES TONIGHT.

VAL>> GOOD EVENING, I'M VAL ZAVALA.

JESS>> AND I'M JESS MARLOW. WELCOME TO THIS EDITION OF THE BEST OF LIFE AND TIMES TONIGHT. OVER THE COURSE OF THIS SERIES, LIFE AND TIMES HAS PROFILED MANY EXTRAORDINARY PEOPLE, BUT FEW ARE AS PASSIONATE ABOUT ENDING VIOLENCE AS DR. JUAN ASCENSIO, A TRAUMA SURGEON AT COUNTY USC MEDICAL CENTER. EVERY YEAR, 7,000 TRAUMA CASES COME THROUGH COUNTY USC. UNFORTUNATELY, MOST OF THEM ARE KNIFE AND GUNSHOT WOUNDS, YOUNG PEOPLE CAUGHT UP IN GANG VIOLENCE.

VAL>> DR. ASCENSIO HAS SAVED HUNDREDS OF LIVES, BUT WHAT HE REALLY WANTS TO DO IS END THE GANG WARFARE THAT IS KILLING OUR CHILDREN. AND WHAT BETTER TIME TO CHANGE A LIFE THAN WHEN A YOUNG MAN IS ON THE EDGE OF DEATH. THIS IS THE STORY OF DR. ASCENSIO AND A GANG MEMBER NAMED ALFRED. THEIR RELATIONSHIP BEGAN ONE NIGHT ON THE OPERATING TABLE.

>> DR. ASCENSIO IS A SENIOR TRAUMA SURGEON IN ONE OF THE BUSIEST EMERGENCY ROOMS IN THE COUNTRY, AT L.A. COUNTY USC MEDICAL CENTER.

DR. ASCENSIO>> BASICALLY, THE ENTIRE LUNG IS OPENED UP WITH A STAPLER AND YOU CAN JUST OPEN IT UP JUST LIKE IT WAS A BOOK, OKAY?

>> DR. ASCENSIO IS ALSO A FACULTY PROFESSOR. HE SPENDS MUCH OF HIS TIME PASSING ALONG MORE THAN A DECADE'S WORTH OF EXPERIENCE TO A YOUNGER GENERATION OF DOCTORS.

DR. ASCENSIO>> NOW YOU GOT THIS LUNG QUITE OPEN AND, AS YOU KNOW, ANYTIME YOU PUT A SUTURE THROUGH A LUNG, YOU ARE INCURRING THE CHANCE OF A GREATER AIR LEAK.

>> 7,500 TRAUMA CASES COME THROUGH THESE DOORS EVERY YEAR. ABOUT HALF OF THEM ARE KNIFE OR GUNSHOT WOUNDS.

DR. ASCENSIO>> MANY TIMES, WHEN YOU SEE THE DESTRUCTION ON THESE HUMAN BEINGS, SOMETIMES IT REALLY BEFUDDLES YOUR IMAGINATION. SOMETIMES YOU SAY TO YOURSELF, "WHERE AM I GOING TO START? HOW AM I GOING TO PUT THIS BACK TOGETHER?"

>> THAT WAS THE CASE ON THE NIGHT OF JANUARY 3, 1996. DR. ASCENSIO WAS ON A 36-HOUR SHIFT WHEN PARAMEDICS BROUGHT IN 21-YEAR-OLD ALFRED, A GANG MEMBER. ALFRED AND A FRIEND HAD BEEN SHOT AT POINTBLANK RANGE. HIS FRIEND DIED AT THE SCENE. ALFRED WAS SHOT IN THE LEFT HAND AND THE CHEST. MELINEH OHANJANIAN, A THIRD-YEAR MEDICAL STUDENT, WAS TRAINING IN THE ER WHEN ALFRED ARRIVED.

MELINEH OHANJANIAN>> HE WAS IN SHOCK, BASICALLY, AND HAD LOST A LOT OF BLOOD....

DR. ASCENSIO>> ....HIS BLOOD PRESSURE WAS BETWEEN 70 AND 80. IT WAS VERY CLEAR THAT HE HAD SUSTAINED AT LEAST ONE CLOSE-RANGE GUNSHOT WOUND TO THE MID-PORTION OF HIS STERNUM, THAT HIS BLOOD PRESSURE....

MELINEH OHANJANIAN>> ....THEY TRIED TO RESUSCITATE HIM DOWN IN THE ER AND HE WAS ONLY THERE FOR ABOUT TEN MINUTES AND AS SOON AS DR. ASCENSIO REALIZED THAT, YOU KNOW, THERE WAS NOT MUCH THAT COULD BE DONE DOWNSTAIRS AND WE TAKE HIM UP TO THE OR, HE WAS TAKEN UP....

DR. ASCENSIO>> ....CRITICAL NATURE AND HE WAS THE KIND OF A PATIENT THAT WE KNEW, IF WE DID NOT INTERVENE QUICKLY, HE WOULD EXSANGUINATE AND THAT LITERALLY MEANS BLEED TO DEATH....

MELINEH OHANJANIAN>> ....TRY TO, YOU KNOW, START WORKING, OPEN THE CHEST AND BASICALLY SEE WHAT'S GOING ON INSIDE. I THINK THAT WAS HIS MAIN CONCERN, TO SEE IF THE HEART WAS HIT....

DR. ASCENSIO>> ....SO WE PLACED HIM FLAT AND THEN ELECTED TO START WITH A RIGHT ANTHEROLATERAL THORACOTOMY AND THAT INCISION IS SIMPLY CARRIED OUT UNDERNEATH HIS RIGHT NIPPLE AND IT STOPS VERY CLOSE TO HIS BREASTPLATE, OR HIS STERNUM. THE WAY THAT WE GOT IN, WE WERE IMMEDIATELY ABLE TO CONFIRM OUR THOUGHTS AND THAT IS THAT HE HAD A MASSIVE HEMATHORAX, MEANING A HUGE QUANTITY OF BLOOD, A LOT OF IT WHICH WAS CLOTTED. AT THE SAME TIME, IT ALLOWED US TO EXAMINE THE PERICARDIUM, THE SACK THAT HOUSES THE HEART AND, LUCKILY, THAT HAD JUST BEEN GRAZED.

>> ALFRED HAD NARROWLY ESCAPED DEATH. THE NEXT MORNING, MELINEH WENT TO CHECK ON HIM.

MELINEH OHANJANIAN>> I ASKED HIM, "ALFRED, HOW ARE YOU DOING?" AND HE LOOKED AT ME AND HE WENT LIKE THIS. YOU KNOW, THAT WAS JUST THE BEST. I REALIZED THAT, OKAY, HE'S ALIVE AND HE'S DOING WELL. HE UNDERSTANDS ME. YOU KNOW, HE'S RESPONDING. SO I THINK THAT WAS THE BEST. THAT WAS THE FIRST SIGN OF IMPROVEMENT I SAW IN HIM AND I WAS JUST AMAZED AT THE FACT THAT WE CAN, YOU KNOW, TAKE SOMEBODY WHO ALMOST DIED AND JUST BASICALLY RESTORE EVERYTHING.

DR. ASCENSIO>> ALFRED, DO YOU MIND IF WE LISTEN TO YOUR LUNGS HERE? NORMALLY, IN A PATIENT THAT HAS -- LET ME HOLD YOUR HAND.

>> WHEN HE ENCOUNTERS SOMEONE LIKE ALFRED, DR. ASCENSIO MOVES BEYOND THE ROLE OF DOCTOR AND BECOMES A COUNSELOR, HOPING TO PERSUADE GANG MEMBERS TO CHANGE THEIR LIVES. ALFRED IS A THIRD GENERATION GANG MEMBER. NOW ALFRED HAS A THREE-YEAR-OLD SON.

ALFRED>> I'M GOING TO TRY MY BEST TO GO THE RIGHT WAY, YOU KNOW? I SEEN ONE OF MY FRIENDS DIE ALREADY RIGHT NEXT TO ME, LIKE FROM ME TO YOU WHERE YOU'RE AT.

DR. ASCENSIO>> HIS GRANDFATHER AND HIS FATHER WERE PART OF THIS LIFE CYCLE AND THEY WERE THE FIRST AND THE SECOND. NOW HE'S THE THIRD. BUT HE WANTS TO MAKE SURE THAT HE BREAKS THE CYCLE SO THAT ALFRED VIEJO IV WILL NOT HAVE TO EXPERIENCE WHAT HIS FATHER OR HIS GRANDFATHER OR HIS GREAT-GRANDFATHER ACTUALLY EXPERIENCED. PERHAPS THAT'S A NEW OPPORTUNITY AT LIFE.

ALFRED>> REALLY GOT ME TO THINK TWICE NOW ABOUT LIFE BECAUSE LAST YEAR AT THIS TIME IN JANUARY, I WAS STABBED. I CAME HERE. I WAS STABBED THREE TIMES. THIS JANUARY, I GET SHOT. I'M BACK HERE AGAIN. I DON'T WANT TO COME BACK NEXT YEAR OR WHENEVER BECAUSE I MIGHT NOT LIVE.

DR. ASCENSIO>> IMPRESS THE HELL OUT OF ME. SHOW ME WHAT YOU CAN DO WITH THAT MACHINE, OKAY? THE GUY'S A ONE-ARMED BANDIT HERE, HUH? OKAY, COME ON, LET'S RAISE IT UP HIGHER. COME ON, WE'RE GOING TO GET YOU FOR THE OLYMPICS HERE, MAN.

RIGHT NOW, HE UNDERSTANDS JUST HOW CLOSELY HE CAME TO LOSING HIS LIFE. I THINK HE ALSO UNDERSTANDS THAT HE MUST CHANGE. HE'S VERY WILLING TO CHANGE AND HE SHOWS A CAPACITY FOR CHANGE.

HOW ARE YOU FEELING TODAY?

ALFRED>> I FEEL ALL RIGHT.

DR. ASCENSIO>> FEELING GOOD?

ALFRED>> YEAH, PERFECT.

DR. ASCENSIO>> OKAY.

>> ALFRED WILL BE IN THE HOSPITAL RECOVERING FOR TWO WEEKS. THE SHOCK OF ALMOST DYING IS STILL FRESH IN HIS MIND. DR. ASCENSIO KNOWS, IF HE IS GOING TO MAKE AN IMPACT ON ALFRED, NOW IS THE TIME.

ALFRED>> WHERE I LIVE IS [INAUDIBLE] AND WE DON'T GET ALONG WITH A LOT OF GANGS. THERE'S JUST A LOT OF GANGS THERE.

DR. ASCENSIO>> WHEN YOU SAY YOU DON'T GET ALONG, I MEAN, WHAT DO YOU MEAN BY THAT? I MEAN, WHAT'S THE ISSUE THAT YOU GUYS FIGHT ABOUT? WHAT DON'T YOU GET ALONG ON?

ALFRED>> WHAT DON'T WE GET ALONG ON?

DR. ASCENSIO>> YEAH.

ALFRED>> FROM BEING IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD OR BEING FROM ANOTHER GANG WHICH -- YOU KNOW, IT'S JUST HATRED.

DR. ASCENSIO>> HATRED, BUT THIS IS HATRED WITH NO BASIS. I MEAN, JUST BECAUSE SOMEBODY LIVES IN A NEIGHBORHOOD AND THEY HAVE PRIDE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD DOESN'T MEAN THAT SOMEBODY ELSE CANNOT LIVE IN ANOTHER NEIGHBORHOOD AND THEY THEMSELVES MAY ALSO HAVE PRIDE IN THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD, BUT FOR WHAT REASON? I MEAN --

ALFRED>> -- I DON'T KNOW. THAT'S HOW IT IS.

DR. ASCENSIO>> YEAH, WELL, I'M KEENLY AWARE OF HOW IT IS. THE QUESTION IS, HOW LOGICAL IS THIS?

WHEN YOU ASK THEM ABOUT SOMETHING SPECIFIC, SOME EVENT, SOME ONE PARTICULAR THING THAT SHOULD MOTIVATE ONE OF THEM TO RAISE THEIR ARM IN ANGER AGAINST ANOTHER, THEY CANNOT. IT'S SIMPLY BEEN GOING ON. WELL, IT'S ABOUT TIME THAT HIS GROUP AS WELL AS HIMSELF REALIZES THAT THERE IS REALLY NO OBJECTIVE HERE TO BE MET. THE CHANCES ARE WHAT MAY HAVE STARTED 20 YEARS AGO IS NO LONGER VALID, THAT WE HAVE TO LET GO OF THAT AND THAT IT TAKES A LOT MORE COURAGE TO CHANGE. I THINK HE'S WILLING AND I THINK HE SHOWS THE NECESSARY STRENGTH AND THE DEFIANCE TO GO AGAINST THIS AND TO BREAK THIS CYCLE THAT HAS BEEN PERVASIVE EVEN IN HIS FAMILY NOW FOR THREE GENERATIONS.

NOW HERE YOU ARE. YOU'RE 21 YEARS OLD. YOU'VE BEEN STABBED FOUR TIMES. YOU'VE BEEN SHOT TWICE. AND THIS ONE EPISODE ALMOST KILLED YOU. YOU'RE PRETTY FORTUNATE TO BE HERE. YOU HAVE A THREE-YEAR-OLD BOY. WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO TELL THIS THREE-YEAR-OLD BOY? HOW WOULD YOU FEEL IF THIS KID FOLLOWED YOUR FOOTSTEPS AND MAYBE HE WOULD STAND OUT ON SOME STREET CORNER AND HE WOULD BE PUSHING DRUGS OR HE WOULD BE USING DRUGS. HOW WOULD THAT MAKE YOU FEEL?

ALFRED>> BURN ME UP.

DR. ASCENSIO>> IT WOULD BURN YOU UP, RIGHT?

ALFRED>> THAT'S WHY THE CHANGE HAS TO BE NOW.

DR. ASCENSIO>> CHANGE HAS TO BE NOW. ARE YOU GOING TO BE THE GUY WITH THE BALLS TO BREAK THE CYCLE SO THAT THE FOURTH IS NOT GOING TO BE GOING THROUGH THE SAME CRAP AS THE FIRST AND THE SECOND AND THE THIRD?

ALFRED>> I GUARANTEE YOU I'LL BREAK THE CYCLE.

DR. ASCENSIO>> WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO ABOUT EDUCATION?

ALFRED>> I'LL GET MY EDUCATION.

DR. ASCENSIO>> SO YOU'RE GOING TO GO BACK TO HIGH SCHOOL?

ALFRED>> I'M ONLY 21 YEARS OLD.

DR. ASCENSIO>> HE PERCEIVES THAT HIS OPPORTUNITIES ARE JUST NOT THERE AND I OBVIOUSLY LIVED THROUGH THAT AND PERCEIVED THAT. THE DIFFERENCE WAS THAT I ALWAYS THOUGHT THAT I COULD BREAK DOWN THE BARRIERS AND THAT I ALWAYS KNEW WHAT IT TOOK.

>> JUAN ASCENSIO HAS HAD TO OVERCOME MANY BARRIERS. HE WAS BORN IN HAVANA, CUBA TO A POOR FAMILY. HIS PARENTS WERE ONE-TIME CASTRO SUPPORTERS WHO LATER FOUGHT THE CHANGE TO COMMUNISM. THE FAMILY WAS PERSECUTED AND FINALLY FLED TO THE UNITED STATES WHEN JUAN WAS 13.

DR. ASCENSIO>> MANY YEARS AGO, WHEN I WAS A KID BACK IN HAVANA, I HAPPENED TO SEE OR TO WITNESS A REVOLUTI0N AND SAW A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT GOT INJURED AND GOT HURT AND IT MUST HAVE MADE A TREMENDOUS IMPRESSION ON ME. CERTAINLY THERE WAS NO ONE IN MY FAMILY WHO WAS A DOCTOR AND CERTAINLY THERE ISN'T ANYONE IN MY FAMILY WHO HAS EVEN ANY FORMAL EDUCATION, SO I JUST THOUGHT THAT BEING A DOCTOR WAS SOMETHING THAT I WOULD LIKE. AT THE SAME TIME, I SAW A LOT OF PEOPLE DIE. I'VE SEEN A LOT OF PEOPLE DIE THROUGHOUT MY ENTIRE LIFE AND I THOUGHT THERE WOULD BE SOMETHING THAT I COULD DO.

>> HE GREW UP IN A ROUGH CHICAGO NEIGHBORHOOD, BUT ACADEMICS CAME EASILY TO HIM. HE WON A SCHOLARSHIP TO THE UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS AND WENT ON TO MEDICAL SCHOOL IN CHICAGO. AFTER LEADING THE DIVISION OF TRAUMA AT PHILADELPHIA'S HAHNEMANN UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL, HE CAME TO LOS ANGELES IN 1992. TODAY, WHEN HE LOOKS AT YOUNG FACES LIKE ALFRED'S, HE CAN'T HELP BUT BE REMINDED OF HIMSELF.

DR. ASCENSIO>> I ALWAYS HAD THIS TREMENDOUS CAPACITY OF KNOWING WHO I WAS AND THAT I HAD A GOOD MEASURE OF SELF-ESTEEM FOR ME TO BE ABLE TO FEEL SECURE TO ACT AGAINST THE WISHES OF THE MAJORITY, AND I THINK HE DOESN'T KNOW THAT. HE DOES NOT HAVE THAT AND THE REASON BEING IS, HE HIMSELF DOES NOT KNOW WHAT HE'S CAPABLE OF. HE HIMSELF HAS NEVER BEEN CHALLENGED. HE LEFT SCHOOL BECAUSE HE TRIED AND HE GOT KICKED OUT AND THEN HE JUST SORT OF GAVE UP, SO HE NEVER HAD CLEAR WITHIN HIS MIND THE CONCEPT OF PERSEVERANCE. SO WE CAN RELATE. IT'S JUST THAT THE OUTCOMES HAVE BEEN DIFFERENT. AND HOPEFULLY, HIS OUTCOME WILL NOW BE CHANGED TOWARD HIS POSITIVE SIDE.

WHERE YOU BEEN, HUH? YOU BRING US SOME DOUGHNUTS?

>> THIRTEEN DAYS AFTER HE WAS BROUGHT INTO THE EMERGENCY ROOM, ALFRED IS READY TO GO HOME.

DR. ASCENSIO>> SNEAKING IN BURRITOS, HUH? (LAUGHTER) IN FRONT OF THESE GUYS, YOU CAN'T DO IT. YOU KNOW WHAT THESE GUYS ARE? THEY'RE A PLAGUE OF LOCUSTS. (LAUGHTER) ALL RIGHT, SO WE'RE ALL SET?

ALFRED>> YEAH, I'M READY TO GO HOME.

DR. ASCENSIO>> OKAY, LET'S TAKE A LOOK AT YOU FOR THE LAST TIME, MAN. YOUR FAMILY COMING?

THOSE SCREAMS, THOSE YELPS, THOSE CRIES OF PAIN ARE DEEPLY ENGRAVED IN YOUR CONSCIOUSNESS. THEY HAVE COME VERY CLOSE TO YOU. THAT'S A TREMENDOUS BOND THAT FEW PEOPLE ACTUALLY EVER UNDERSTAND OR FATHOM. HOW YOU CAN LOVE A PATIENT THAT COMES IN WHOM YOU HAVE HARDLY EVER MET? HOW YOU CAN FEEL EMPATHY AND COMPASSION FOR THIS HUMAN BEING REGARDLESS OF WHATEVER BACKGROUND? HOW YOU WILL, ALONG WITH ALL OF YOUR COLLEAGUES, STRUGGLE VERY HARD TO PULL THEM THROUGH? THAT IS A BOND THAT VERY FEW PEOPLE, UNLESS THEY'VE BEEN THROUGH THIS, CAN EVER UNDERSTAND. AND AS SUCH, YOU HAVE A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF PRIDE AND A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF DESIRE TO SEE THEM WALK OUT ALIVE.

WHAT? WELL, MAY BE NASTY, BUT YOU'RE ALIVE. WE JUST MADE THIS LITTLE CUT HERE, YOU SEE?

MELINEH OHANJANIAN>> HE REALLY VALUES HIS LIFE A LOT MORE NOW AND HE KEPT TELLING ME, "I CAN'T BELIEVE I ALMOST DIED. I CAN'T BELIEVE I GOT SHOT." HE'S BEING GOING AROUND TALKING TO THE OTHER GUYS IN THE HOSPITAL, THE ONES WHO ARE HOSPITALIZED, YOU KNOW, IN HIS ROOM AND SHOWING HIS CASE AND TELLING THEM NOT TO GET INTO, YOU KNOW, THE SAME SITUATION AS HE DID.

DR. ASCENSIO>> WELL, I HEARD YOU BEEN GETTING TOGETHER WITH SOME OF THE -- YOU ALREADY STARTED YOUR OWN CLUB HERE, TALKING TO SOME OF THE OTHER GANG BOYS OUT HERE.

ALFRED>> YEAH.

DR. ASCENSIO>> HAS IT MADE SOME PEOPLE THINK ABOUT THIS?

ALFRED>> THE GUY THAT GOT SHOT IN THE LEG, YEAH.

DR. ASCENSIO>> UH-HUH, TELL ME ABOUT IT. I HEARD HIS STORY.

ALFRED>> HE WAS THINKING ABOUT IT AND HE GOES, MAN, THAT COULD HAVE BEEN ME. HE'S BARELY 16 YEARS OLD, YOU KNOW? 

DR. ASCENSIO>> HE HOBBLED OUT OF HERE LIKE A BAT OUT OF HELL WITH THE NEW CONCEPT HE WAS GOING TO LEAVE THE GANGS. THAT'S GOOD. THAT'S KIND OF HOW IT WORKS. WHEN YOU GET BACK, ARE YOU GOING TO GET TOGETHER WITH SOME OF YOUR HOMEBOYS?

ALFRED>> NO.

DR. ASCENSIO>> NO? THAT'S IT, HUH?

ALFRED>> DISAPPEAR. I'M GOING TO DO THE DISAPPEARING TRICK FOR A WHILE.

DR. ASCENSIO>> DISAPPEARING TRICK, HUH?

ALFRED>> YEAH. THE HOUDINI. JUST GO POOF.

DR. ASCENSIO>> AND YOU'RE GOING TO GO BACK TO SCHOOL?

ALFRED>> YEAH, MAKE SOMETHING OUT OF MYSELF.

DR. ASCENSIO>> WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO WHEN YOU SEE YOUR THREE-YEAR-OLD BOY?

ALFRED>> JUST HUG HIM AND --

DR. ASCENSIO>> -- GIVE THE KID A BIG HUG, YEAH?

ALFRED>> YEAH, KISS HIM AND THANK GOD I'M STILL ALIVE.

DR. ASCENSIO>> INVARIABLY, YOU CANNOT ALWAYS BE 100 PERCENT CERTAIN THAT YOU'VE MODIFIED SOMEBODY'S BEHAVIOR, BUT I THINK THAT THEY CAN SEE THAT SOMEBODY HAS ACTUALLY CARED ENOUGH ABOUT THEM FOR THE VERY FIRST TIME IN THEIR LIVES. THEY SEE THAT FROM THE SURGICAL RESIDENTS, FROM THE NURSES, FROM THE STAFF. THEY'VE TAKEN THE TIME TO TALK TO THEM AND TO TREAT THEM WITH RESPECT AND AS HUMAN BEINGS. I THINK THAT, ONCE A CHALLENGE IS POSED TO THEM, I THINK THAT THEY HAVE TO ANSWER TO THEIR OWN INNER RHYTHM, IF YOU WILL.

OKAY, ALFRED, THAT'S IT. THE STAY AT THE RITZ CARLTON IS OVER. YOU KNOW, THAT'S IT FOR YOU. STAND UP LIKE THIS, MAN? THERE YOU ARE. TURN AROUND. NO, THE OTHER WAY, THE OTHER WAY. OKAY, TURN AROUND. OKAY, ALL SET, MAN. OKAY?

ALFRED>> THANKS FOR SAVING MY LIFE.

DR. ASCENSIO>> YOU KNOW WHAT WE TALKED ABOUT. ALL RIGHT.

>> DR. ASCENSIO KNOWS THE BEST WAY TO DEAL WITH TRAUMA IS TO PREVENT IT. SEVERAL TIMES A YEAR, HE GOES TO INNER CITY HIGH SCHOOLS WHERE HE HAS THE CHANCE TO REACH HUNDREDS OF TEENAGERS AT ONE TIME. TODAY, DR. ASCENSIO AND A COLLEAGUE ARE AT FREMONT HIGH SCHOOL IN SOUTH LOS ANGELES. HE HAS BROUGHT HIS SLIDE SHOW, A SERIES OF GRAPHIC IMAGES FROM THE OPERATING ROOM.

DR. ASCENSIO>> GOOD MORNING. BUENOS DIAS. WHY IN THE HELL AM I HERE TODAY ANYWAY? I'VE BEEN UP ALL NIGHT, YOU KNOW, AMIDST BLOOD AND PEOPLE DYING AND PEOPLE SCREAMING AND THAT KIND OF STUFF. YOU KNOW WHY I'M HERE TODAY? BECAUSE, FOR AS MANY YEARS AS I'VE DONE THIS, I HAVE YET TO LEARN ONE LESSON. YOU KNOW WHAT THAT LESSON IS? IT'S VERY SIMPLE. I HAVE NOT LEARNED HOW TO GO UP TO A MOTHER AND SAY, "I'M SORRY I COULD NOT SAVE YOUR SON OR YOUR DAUGHTER."

HERE'S A YOUNG MAN THAT WAS INVOLVED IN A GANG. SHOT 13 TIMES, THREE DIFFERENT WEAPONS. BUT MAN'S INHUMANITY FOR MAN KNEW NO BOUNDARIES BECAUSE, WHEN HE WAS DOWN, THEY SHOT HIM AGAIN. HOW MANY OF YOU ARE INVOLVED IN GANGS? AND MAYBE YOU LIVE IN THAT STREET AND HE LIVES IN THE OTHER STREET. NOW BECAUSE YOU LIVE IN A DIFFERENT STREET, YOU GOT TO SAY, HEY, THIS IS MY TURF, YOU KNOW? AND NOW YOU GOT TO SHOOT EACH OTHER. FOR WHAT? THIS TURF? YOU OWN THIS TURF? YOU DON'T OWN A DAMN THING. THE ONLY THING YOU OWN IS YOUR MINDS. YOU BETTER CULTIVATE THAT.

I DON'T SEE ANYONE HERE FROM BEVERLY HILLS. I CAME FROM WHERE YOU CAME FROM IN THE INNER CITY OF CHICAGO AND NOBODY GAVE ME A DAMN THING. THE ONLY THING I HAD WAS THIS AND I KNEW THAT, IF I WAS GOING TO SCREW IT UP, THERE WAS NO WAY IN HELL I WAS GOING TO BE ABLE TO GET OUT FROM WHERE I WAS FROM. YOU HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY. YOU HAVE A CHOICE TO MAKE. YOUR CHOICE IS STEP AWAY FROM VIOLENCE, GET AN EDUCATION. IF YOU THINK YOU'RE MAD AT SOMEONE, COUNT TO TEN. CHANCES ARE THAT YOU CAN TALK TO EACH OTHER, BUT ONCE YOU PULL THAT TRIGGER, YOU CAN'T TAKE THAT BACK. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

>> LESS THAN THREE WEEKS LATER, DR. ASCENSIO WAS IN THE MIDDLE OF AN OPERATION WHEN HE WAS CALLED TO THE EMERGENCY ROOM. ALFRED WAS BACK. HE HAD BEEN SHOT IN THE SHOULDER. THE INJURY WAS NOT LIFE-THREATENING, BUT DR. ASCENSIO WAS DEEPLY DISAPPOINTED.

DR. ASCENSIO>> HOW YOU FEEL ABOUT THIS?

ALFRED>> IN A WAY, LUCKY.

DR. ASCENSIO>> WHY?

ALFRED>> SENSELESS, YOU KNOW. TWO TIMES IN A ROW, YOU KNOW? I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT TO SAY BECAUSE, YOU KNOW --

DR. ASCENSIO>> -- WELL, WERE YOU IN A PART OF TOWN YOU SHOULDN'T HAVE BEEN MAYBE?

ALFRED>> I WAS AROUND MY AREA, BUT SOMEBODY TRIED TO, YOU KNOW --

DR. ASCENSIO>> -- YOU THINK THIS WAS A RANDOM ACT RATHER THAN SOMEBODY LOOKING FOR YOU?

ALFRED>> RANDOM, YEAH. NOT SOMEBODY LOOKING FOR ME. YOU KNOW, PROBABLY MISTAKEN OR MISTAKEN IDENTITY OR SOMETHING. I DON'T KNOW WHAT IT COULD BE, BUT I JUST DON'T REMEMBER ANYTHING. I JUST REMEMBER GETTING SHOT AND ALL THAT --

DR. ASCENSIO>> -- AND GOT TO COME AND SEE DR. ASCENSIO AGAIN. (LAUGHTER) GOT TO GO THROUGH BOOT CAMP AGAIN.

ALFRED>> I KNEW YOU WERE GOING TO BE MAD, BUT IT'S HARD NOT TO -- I MEAN, I LIVE IN THE SAME PLACE. I LIVE IN THE -- HOW AM I GOING TO TAKE OFF? I DON'T HAVE THE MONEY. I'M NOT RICH. I JUST GOT TO MAKE THE BEST. GOT TO TRY MY BEST. THAT'S IT. IF THERE WAS A WAY I COULD CHANGE, I WOULD DO IT COMPLETELY.

DR. ASCENSIO>> C'MON, ALFRED, LET ME SHOW YOU, OKAY? THIS IS THE AREA WHERE I OPERATED ON YOUR LUNG. YOU SEE THAT?

REWARD IS THE FACT THAT HE'S ALIVE. THAT'S IT. THAT'S ALL THAT I CAN DO. I CAN'T CHANGE HIS ENVIRONMENT. I CAN ONLY LEAVE HIM WITH SOME ADVICE THAT HE CAN USE. WOULD IT SURPRISE ME IF HE RETURNED HERE? YOU KNOW, I CAN BE VERY CYNICAL AND VERY JAGGED AND I STRUGGLE VERY HARD NOT TO BE THAT WAY, AND AN ENVIRONMENT LIKE THIS CAN MAKE YOU THAT WAY AND I THINK THAT TAKES AWAY FROM HUMANITY. SO I'M GOING TO SAY THAT I WOULD BE VERY SURPRISED IF HE WERE TO RETURN.

PERHAPS THE BIGGEST REWARD THAT ANY ONE OF US EVER REAPS IS TO SEE THEM GO BACK ALIVE, TO SEE THE EXPRESSION OF JOY ON A FACE THAT ONCE AGAIN CAN SMILE OR TO SEE A MOTHER HUG HER CHILD. THOSE ARE PRICELESS OPPORTUNITIES TO REALLY, TRULY TASTE OF THE NECTAR OF LIFE AND FEW PEOPLE CAN ACTUALLY TASTE THAT NECTAR. WHAT I HAVE EXPERIENCED AS A TRAUMA SURGEON GETS YOU A LOT CLOSER WITH GOD AND GETS YOU TO THE POINT WHERE YOU REALLY UNDERSTAND HOW HUMBLE YOU MUST BE. YOU MUST AT ALL TIMES BE GRATEFUL FOR THE TREMENDOUS SKILLS THAT YOU HAVE. AND NOT ONLY THAT, BUT FOR THE SKILLS THOSE AROUND YOU ALSO POSSESS BECAUSE YOU CANNOT DO THIS BY YOURSELF. ONCE WE FINISH AN OPERATION OR WE'RE GETTING READY TO LEAVE TO GO HOME, WE ARE ALWAYS IN A LITTLE BETTER CONTACT WITH GOD. AND SINCE WE UNDERSTAND LIFE FROM A DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE THAN MANY OTHER PEOPLE, WE'RE ALWAYS INVARIABLY VERY GRATEFUL FOR THE OPPORTUNITY THAT WE HAVE TO BE ALIVE.

JESS>> THIS PROGRAM FIRST AIRED IN APRIL 1996. TODAY DR. ASCENSIO IS STILL WORKING AT COUNTY USC, STILL HANDLING HUNDREDS OF TRAUMA CASES, AND STILL TALKING TO YOUNG PEOPLE. OVER THE YEARS, HE'S GIVEN HIS TALK AND SLIDE SHOW TO MORE THAN 12,000 STUDENTS.

VAL>> THANKS FOR WATCHING THIS EDITION OF THE BEST OF LIFE AND TIMES TONIGHT. TAKE CARE. SEE YOU TOMORROW.

LIFE AND TIMES TONIGHT WAS MADE POSSIBLE BY THE FOLLOWING FOUNDATIONS:

THE JAMES IRVINE FOUNDATION
WHICH IS DEDICATED TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF AN INFORMED CALIFORNIA CITIZENRY.

THE L.K. WHITTIER FOUNDATION
DEDICATED TO IMPROVING THE QUALITY OF LIFE BY SUPPORTING INNOVATIVE ENDEAVORS IN THE FIELDS OF MEDICINE, HEALTH, SCIENCE AND EDUCATION.

AND THE CALIFORNIA COMMUNITY FOUNDATION
UNDERWRITING THE SPANISH LANGUAGE TRANSLATION OF LIFE AND TIMES TONIGHT.

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