Ron Fazio, a WakeMed physician assistant from Cary, has had several exciting careers and lives his life with purpose. Following a few years in the NFL and a brief acting career, Fazio has spent more than 14 years working with WakeMed’s heart surgery team, helping patients live their lives to the fullest, too.

All his life, Fazio, 58,  has had a passion for learning new things and thriving as part of a team. In his hometown of Willingboro, N.J., he chose football over track and field for most of his school years, including college. After graduating from the University of Maryland with a degree in Kinesiology, he received the phone call of his dreams: the Dallas Cowboys asked him to join the team as a free agent.

Joining the Dallas Cowboys
Fazio headed to rookie camp where he had the incredible opportunity to join some of his childhood heroes like Tony Dorest, Danny White and Ed “Too Tall” Jones – and to play for the great Tom Landry. As a tight end, catching passes was Fazio’s passion – until he broke his thumb during an early practice game. After a long recovery, that impacted his catching, Fazio’s season ended early when he was cut by Coach Landry. He played the following year with the Philadelphia Eagles before calling it quits.

Becoming a Movie Actor
“After a few years, I knew I wasn’t impressing anyone in the NFL, and it was time to move on,” said Fazio.

The next phase of his life included a variety of jobs that were perfect for a young adult with an NFL build. He worked in several gyms, New York City bars and even as a movie actor, starring in “The Toxic Avenger” Parts 2 and 3 and even had a small role on “The Sopranos.”

Before long, though, Fazio knew he wasn’t destined to be a lifelong actor, either. Fortunately – a rowdy night at work led him to find his true calling. While working as a bouncer, an encounter with some unruly guests left Fazio with a minor injury that caused a fairly serious infection. During his week-long hospital stay, Fazio received excellent care from a team of caregivers that included several physician assistants (PAs). Curious about what a PA career could look like, Fazio asked a lot of questions that led him to return to school. After graduating from PA school with honors, he began work at the New York Hospital Medical Center of Queens, first as a General Surgery PA and then as part of their new heart surgery program.

“From the NFL to acting, to my career as a physician assistant – I’ve loved every job I’ve had,” said Ron Fazio. “That said, being part of this heart surgery team at WakeMed is by far the most meaningful and rewarding of all.”

Working as a Physician’s Assistant
“I’ve always loved being part of a team – the fact that everyone has an important responsibility and that we’re always working toward a common goal is a great feeling,” Fazio said.

This philosophy guides his work at WakeMed, where he spends 40-plus hours each week supporting cardiovascular and thoracic surgeons during long and complicated surgeries.

“From the NFL to acting, to my career as a physician assistant – I’ve loved every job I’ve had,” said Fazio. “That said, being part of this heart surgery team at WakeMed is by far the most meaningful and rewarding of all. There’s no feeling like helping others – taking care of patients and seeing them on the road to recover is an amazing way to spend my days.”

This article originally appeared on the WakeMed Voices blog. It is reprinted with permission. For more information about the WakeMed Heart and Vascular team, visit wakemed.org.