A.J. Foyt will be seen around his native Houston a bit more these days. Foyt is part of an initiative at St Luke’s Episcopal Hospital in Houston in which patients share their stories.
Foyt’s story is spreading a bit farther as he is featured in a 30-second commercial that is airing locally. He’s also featured on seven billboards in the area with the tagline: A.J. Foyt still has the heart of a champion.
Foyt’s story actually began with his wife Lucy undergoing open-heart surgery last winter (from which she has made a full recovery). When doctors asked Foyt the last time he’d had his stents checked (installed during a procedure in 2000), they didn’t like his answer. When they checked him, they found a blockage.
Foyt underwent a procedure to install another stent to open the blockage — complicated by the fact that the doctor had to go through an existing stent to reach it (an open-heart surgery team was standing by in case the procedure didn’t work). Fortunately, the procedure was successful.
When asked if he would share his story, Foyt didn’t hesitate to express his gratitude to the staff of the Texas Heart Institute’s cardiology team.
Glad to to see you still can’t keep A.J. down. Godspeed on the recovery.
There will never be another AJ Foyt!
I see we are going to China next year. This must mean progress is being made on next years schedule. I was just wondering when the 2012 schedule will be posted?
Glad to hear both AJ and Lucy are doing well. I haven’t met AJ yet, but am hoping to get his autograph or shake hands some day.
I think Mr. Foyt and his wife are a class act. I hope one day to met AJ again and this time get his autography on my checkered flag that my late father used in the 60s. God bless you AJ.
I met A.J. @ the 1968 Rex Mays 300 at Riverside. I was 16 and in the pits sort of illegally with Parnelli Jones, Marvin Porter and the Firestone Racing Division. Back then it was a big tire war and AJ was always Goodyear. Curt Porter and I went by A.J.’s garage (the only guy with his own) and started teasing him about naming his car after a dog. He snarled at us to get the hell out but he was having just as much fun as we were.
Not many like him and Parnelli anymore. Tony Stewart comes as close as anyone but A.J. Foyt will always be very special part of our sport and a great guy. Thanks A.J. for one of my fondest memories.
A TRUE CLASS ACT DAMN TUFF ON THE TRACK AND NOW JUST AS TUFF IN LIFE’S LATER YRS. HOPE TO SEE YA AT INDY, AJ. GLAD YOUR BRIDE IS DOIN’ JUST AS WELL!!
A TRUE CLASS ACT. DAMN TUFF ON THE TRACK AND JUST AS TUFF IN LIFES LATER YEARS. THATS WHAT HAS KEPT HIM A WINNER. GLAD HIS BRIDE IS DOIN’ WELL ALSO! SE YA @ INDY AJ!!!
At the last moment when story was sayin about the open heart surgery, team was standing aside ……i thought that please god there should be no use of them and the same thing happened…….god grace, both are doin well….
Glad to hear that AJ is doing well. No one today except Tony Stewart comes close to having the talent AJ had. He is one of a kind.
YEP…there will never be anyone like A.J. again. He is a great man and I was blessed to have met him when i was a lil girl, over at his daddy’s shop. My daddy introduced us, and I remember it like it was yesterday…my daddy telling me that A.J. was a race car driver, I didnt know what that was at the time, too little. Well, my daddy and Mr. Foyt are still close friends today…and I also wish him a full & speedy recovery. We love you A.J. Respectfully, Vicki Spruiell