A LA RECHERCHE DE PANEGYRIQUES POUR NOS COMPATRIOTES :
UN PROJET DE  « KONBIT POU RANJE NODWES (HAITI). »

Notre distingue collègue et ami , Le Docteur Laurent Pierre-Philippe , est l’un des Champions Fanatiques de la Terre Natale. Il s’est implique la tache ardue d’exposer et même sanctifier toutes « découvertes positives » capables de balancer les campagnes de dénigrement contre les Haïtiens, campagnes déclenchées par certains pays de la Caraïbe , des Antilles, des Amériques et même de l’Afrique ; campagnes dénonçant ce que ces Pays appellent le cote négatif de l’Haitianization ( coutumes et mœurs) envahissant leurs Territoires et dégradant leur Culture.

Laurent s’applique a faire ressortir les valeurs de nos Compatriotes doués de certains mérites et a développer des Modèles ( Rôle Modèles) pour la Jeunesse Haïtienne. Laurent entend substituer a la pratique de l’Eulogie pour les Défunts l’influence plus bénéfique de la Panégyrie, reconnaissant publiquement des Personnalités Vivantes with « distinguished achievements ».

L’ un des Modèles choisis est le Docteur Egel François de Port- de-Paix, HAITI , Chirurgien de Profession , Retraite bien reconnu parmi la Diaspora Haïtienne de New-York , Chicago , Saint-Louis et de Montréal , Canada. 

ET IL INCOMBE A MOI , DR ANDRE J.MUZAC, DE FAIRE LA PRESENTATION.

Pas une tache difficile, puisque je connais le Dr Egel François depuis 1964 ( Il était à ce moment -là Senior Surgical Résident à Harlem Hospital, une division lors du Columbia Presbyterian Médical Center of New-York, N.Y.). 

Pas une tâche difficile, puisque je pratique Egel depuis 54 ans ; il fut mon Attending Surgeon durant ma Résidence en Chirurgie a Saint-John’s Episcopal Hospital , Brooklyn ,N.Y. (1967).

Dans le cadre compétitif de la Pratique Chirurgicale à Brooklyn, sur un champ de bataille ou des Professionnels de la Minorité Noire, Ouest-Indienne , Philippine, Indienne, Sud et Centro-Américaine se lançaient constamment des flèches néfastes et dégradantes , EGEL n’a pas eu peur de prendre position et me définir en Présentation Publique ( Gala Réception Médicale ) avec des qualificatifs qui honorent un Compatriote : -Sincérité et Honnêteté ; Rectitude et Inflexibilité ; Dévotion et Respect pour les Responsabilités.

One cannot forget the courage of a Colleague. Furthermore, as an unselfish Mentor, repeatedly EGEL took the precaution to caution me against the potential damages of two particular weaknesses:- the use of straight and strong language ( this bad habit of calling the beast by its name); never say to a lady “what an ugly woman ! your face could stop the clock !” Change for “what a beauty! when the Sun sees you, it stands still”; in other words, the Earth is not turning anymore. 

: – confronting /affronting difficulties face to face ; when you are caught by the rage of a flood, do not offer your chest or your back , take the oblique position, expose your flank, let the water pass before and behind your thighs and legs.  I always repeat: if I were listening to Egel instead of playing stubborn, I could have avoided many complications in life. All of the above to underline that I can define Egel by the following qualificatives:

-A devoted Family Man;

-Un Homme plein de simplicité et Humilité ;

-Always ready to share knowledge and goods; 

-An easy going Professional, full of compassion, of patience in teaching; a Peace-Maker who enjoys life with Friends;

-For the Haitian Medical Community, the Wise, Le Sage, who loves the Chairmanship of the AMHE Election Committee: he excels in putting Government in Place.

Un Père de Famille dévoué à l’éducation de ses enfants ; évitant la violence des punitions, préférant le dialogue avec les adolescents et parlant le langage de la jeunesse, des teen- agers en rébellion. Un père qui a pu préparer sa fille à être Juge de Tribunal a New-Jersey, USA… En fin de semaine, Egel prend soin du nettoyage de la maison et du back yard, et partage le « barbecue-goat » avec les amis. Au restaurant ou à une soirée de gala, Egel ne discusse pas le montant collectif du bordereau : Always ready to Share. Usually, he does not hesitate to cover friends.

Symbole de Simplicité et d’Humilité : Egel is not a show-man , but an every day guy, joking with everybody. In the Hospital Cafeteria , “ a well done steak , a piece of cake and a cup of coffee “ ; the black worker from the South at Harlem Hospital is not disposed to guess anything from the funny Haitian accent, better use simple words slowly if one wants to eat.

Very rarely, one would hear Egel claiming “ I am a Doctor, a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons “. He takes care of patients conscientiously without pushing anxiety too far. I like this one : one night as a Resident, I called Egel for a patient admitted with an abdominal gunshot wound; I am asking him to hurry up for the operating room, because the patient is in a poor condition. Answer :”cool it up ! you are the physician, keep him alive; I am not going to kill myself on the Highway, exceeding the speed limits, I did not shoot the Guy! “ 

SO , I CALL EGEL THE BIG EASY ! BUT HE PREFERS THE OTHER NAME :” UN HERO DANS L’OMBRE”.

Pourquoi ? -Parce qu’il est toujours là pour les Autres. Et j’explique, répétant ce que j’ai eu à dire, il y a des années, quand le Président du Chapitre de New-York de l’AMHE , le Dr Lionel Lefevre, me choisit pour présenter Egel comme HONORE , lors d’un Diner-Gala, le samedi 8 Avril 2006 , au Jéricho Terrace, Mineola, New-York.

-When the Haitian Physicians of New-York finally realized in 1972 that the Haitian Community in North America was a minority among a number of Minorities, that their professional interests and their needs for survival were quite different; when they realized the necessity of a Professional Association for their protection and their defense , Dr Egel Francois was THERE.

- When it was time to write the By-Laws and a Constitution for that Association, when emotional debates contaminated with “Political Venoms” threatened to drown the Newly-Born, Dr Egel Francois was THERE in the Auditorium of Martin Luther King of Harlem Hospital to diffuse any implosion. The Haitian Immigrants had brought with them to North America the political passions of 1957 which divided Haiti between Fignolists, Jumellists, Dejoiists, Duvalierists. A MODERATE VOICE, A TAMPON, A SHOCK ABSORBER WAS URGENTLY NEEDED TO HELP THE HAITIAN PHYSICIANS RAISE THEMSELVES ABOVE POLITICAL DIVISION FOR THE VICTORY OF A COMMON CAUSE : DR EGEL FRANCOIS WAS THERE.

- When recruiting became a must in an effort to augment the number of Participants, Dr Egel Francois was there , crossing on Saturday Night the streets of Queens, N.Y., under snow and rain to attend Haitian Private Parties and address the gathering of Colleagues and Friends celebrating in their apartments and/or basements an anniversary or something else.

-When , in 1981, the Haitians in USA were targeted as a group at risk for AIDS , and the AMHE decided to join force and work with Community Leaders of New-York in an attempt to reverse the Center for Diseases Control ( the CDC ) position and remove the Haitian name from this famous list of 4 H ( homosexuals, hemophiliacs, heroin-addicts, Haitians ) , Dr Egel Francois was THERE. When our researches took us to the Olofson Hotel and Club Med in Haiti to investigate the collaterals of the “Male Prostitution Developing Industry “, Dr Egel Francois was THERE.

- When, more recently, in 1998 , at the annual congress of AMHE , at the Club Med , Montrouis ,Haiti, a few young members of the Association rose their voice demanding the retreat of the “Veterans- Dinosaurs” and pleading for “ infusion of new blood in Executive Positions” , Dr Egel Francois kept his cool and philosophically said “ It seems that Revolution is about to devour its own Sons ! Let the Youngs take the Flag; if they want, we shall be there to serve as Advisors.”

-Following Annual Conventions of the AMHE took place in Montreal, Mexico, Aruba, Cruise Ship, Puerto-Rico, Costa Rica; the last one , July 2017, in the Decameron Resort , Haiti; one is already scheduled for July 2018 at the Decameron Resort in Cartagena, Columbia. Egel is always there to support the Haitian Cause.

One of the multiple reasons why I think that it is not difficult to offer Egel as a Model to follow.

 

ANDRE J. MUZAC, MD, FACS