Stan Fischler Reflects On Miracle First-Ever Mitral Valve Repair On Son’s Transplanted Heart
Despite the miraculous surgery, Simon Fischler is still waiting for another heart transplant.
Good morning, Elmonters.
I hope you all enjoyed Fan Week!
For today’s Free Friday story, David Kolb brings us an incredible piece regarding Islanders media legend, Stan Fischler’s son.
Fischler’s son, Simon, who is awaiting a heart transplant, recently underwent a stunning, groundbreaking heart procedure to save his life...
Long before my business achievements or even winning an Emmy Award for MSGNetworks, I - like many others - interned for The Maven, Stan Fischler.
While diligently doing my puck-research on 110th street, AKA Cathedral Parkway in Manhattan in early 1995, my ears had to fight The DJ beats that a re-energized Simon (DJ) Fischler was spinning. The song, The Bomb! by The Bucketheads.
It’s the type of song that sticks in your head forever. But to me, that song always reminded me of how Simon courageously recovered from his first heart transplant. He didn’t only recover, he seemed reinvigorated, ready to conquer anything in his way.
Now, in 2025, his mental fortitude has fueled his incredible mentorship of his daughter Avigail, who currently plays hockey for Culver Academy High School in Indiana, and looks like a sure-shot college prospect -- while playing for Team USA is also a possibility in the future.
Earlier this week, word had broke that Simon recently had a groundbreaking procedure which by all accounts, likely saved his life.
READ: Israeli doctors perform first ever emergency, mitral valve repair on heart transplant patient.
After learning more of the details of the wildly successful rare procedure, Stan didn't hold back his praise, "As a professional wordsmith, I usually can come up with sufficient praise for the team of doctors who saved Simon. Try these: GREAT, SUPERIOR, SENSATIONAL. And that's only for starters. I pray for my son daily and will not stop."
Of course Simon too has eternal gratitude to those that have cared and continue to care for him.
"I have been blessed and very lucky for thirty-one years," said Simon, "and I am blessed today to have the team of doctors at Rabin Medical Center."
After the Times of Israel article was published, Stan wrote me the following heartfelt message with an update of Simon’s luck and day-to-day approach.
From Stan:
From the moment Simon exited Columbia Presbyterian Hospital with his new heart in September 1993, people would ask me how my son was doing and my answer never wavered: "I take it one day at a time." There have been a lot of days at a time since then and this has been part of the adventure.
As you know, Simon has been guiding Avigail's hockey career as close as any dad. As a result he was in the States with her during the summer. When he returned he had a very bad cough which eventually was diagnosed as pneumonia. He was in and out of the hospital and seemed to be cured when he wound up at his in-law’s house for a weekend visit.
This was the crisis and his end could have been then when he took sick.
Should he go home -- at least a 2 hour drive -- or go to the hospital? Had he gone home he would have died en route or soon after. He opted for the hospital and that led to the procedures that you read about in the story.
At the time all this was happening I -- being north at El-Rom -- had no idea of the gravity of the situation. No idea whatsoever.
In fact, I only got bits and pieces in terms of how close to death he was until I got word that some "procedure" was done and that Simon would be sedated for at least two days and then "we'll see how he is when he awakens."
I went to the hospital and he was under sedation. His wife, Lilach was on one side holding his hand and petting him and saying words of encouragement. It was then that I worried that he would never come out of it.
While I held his hand, every once in a while his thumb would move suggesting that he was telling me he still was alive. At some point one of the nurses said, "He's really strong," meaning that he's battling sedation to tell us that he's fighting back.
The day that the sedation was removed I went to the hospital that morning and he was now conscious and able to speak a bit. Slowly but surely he began recovering, getting out of bed the next day and eventually walking.
Until I read the story today in The Times of Israel I had no idea how really close to death Simon came nor did I realize how desperate the procedure was that saved his life.
While I try to stay calm, I'm inwardly shaken by what I read and how close Simon was to being taken away from us. In a hockey sense, I'm reminded of Billy Smith saves in Game 1 vs. Edmonton, 1983; Smitty vs. Pitt in OT and Smitty in OT vs. Rangers, 1984.
Every day is precious and Simon's challenges remain.
He still needs to take a couple more key test to qualify for the transplant and, of course -- as we learned in 1993 -- they will then have to find a heart for him.
It was day to day then; as it is now and every moment is precious.
