The Ledge - Stevie appeared/performed at AZ Heart Foundation building dedication

Stevie Nicks, others help dedicate foundation's research, education site
Kathy Shayna Shocket
Special for The Republic
Apr. 5, 2007 08:30 PM

On Sunday afternoon a small invitation-only group of bighearted people joined Stevie Nicks at the Arizona Heart Foundation for the dedication of its new research building at Thomas Road and 20th Street.

It's been a nine-year, grass-roots effort - literally - starting when a small group of visionaries gathered on the lawn of Ted Diethrich's Paradise Valley home to plant the first fundraising seeds for the building's $4 million campaign.

The heart surgeon's backyard was filled with the beats of rock and roll - and Nicks herself performed.

The rock goddess, who rose to fame in Fleetwood Mac, pumped more money into the foundation's coffers with annual Phoenix performances, including three at the then-America West Arena and one at the Dodge Theatre for which the premier seats fetched $1,000 per ticket.

But Sunday's private dedication for the Arizona Heart Foundation's Cardiovascular Research and Education Building was bittersweet.

"This was my dad's dream," Nicks said of her father, Jess, who died two years ago of heart disease. Jess' heart gave out a few days after Nicks' Dodge Theatre concert benefiting the foundation in August 2005.

Nicks' mother, Barbara, who was by her side at Sunday's party, also has heart disease, and the Arizona Heart Institute has been an important part of the Nickses' lives.

Jess was a hard-driving businessman and native Arizonan credited with bringing the then-Greyhound Corp. to Arizona and building the Valley's then-entertainment venue Compton Terrace. His multifaceted career was abruptly halted when heart disease caused him to retire from the business world. It didn't, however, stop him from launching a campaign to eradicate heart disease

Along with the late Phoenix philanthropist Thelma Kieckhefer and hundreds of Valley supporters, Jess was a guiding force to raise funds for the research building and expand the frontiers of cardiovascular research.

"This is the house that Jess and Stevie built," noted Gerry Kroloff, the foundation's executive administrator, also a Paradise Valley resident.

The 30,000-square-foot building houses a 10,000-square-foot state-of-the-art lab. It's the only freestanding cardiovascular research lab and education center of its kind in the state.

Paul and Ellen Gerding of Paradise Valley led Sunday's private dedication catered by Paradise Valley resident Vincent Guerithault. The restaurateur/chef also catered and attended that first small concert in Diethrich's backyard nine years ago.

"I know my father's here," Nicks said. "He'd be saying 'Stevie, this is so great.' "

Jess was an executive for several corporations throughout his career, including Lucky Lager Beer.

"So, Jess, this one is for you," said Kroloff of the platform to push the envelope for the future of cardiovascular medicine.

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