2017 DISTINGUISHED AMERICAN AWARD

DR. ARNOLD SCHELLER

 

 

 

As an upperclassman at Veterans Memorial High School in Warrick, Rhode Island, Arnie Scheller proved to be an overachiever and a master of multi-tasking. A member of the National Honor Society, he also was voted All-State in football and wrestling. His ability to successfully and effortlessly balance his academic and athletic workload would be an omen of what lay ahead for this man who, to this day, thirsts for knowledge, service to others, and adventure.

 At Boston University he  was a three-time letterman in football while earning his bachelor’s degree in aeronautical and biomedical engineering. He then enrolled in the biomedical engineering master’s program at Brown University.“At that point, he says, “I realized that I enjoyed human interaction more than engineering design.”  So Scheller entered Rush Medical College in Chicago, where he received his M.D. degree.  After interning in general surgery and orthopedic surgery at Tufts New England Medical Center, Dr. Scheller was appointed chief resident of orthopedic and reconstructive surgery at New England Baptist in January of 1979.  Later that same year, he accepted positions on the orthopedic surgery staffs at Tufts New England Medical Center and New England Baptist. In 1981, he was appointed clinical assistant professor in orthopedic surgery at Tufts and was also named director of implant services at the Boston Veterans Administration Hospital.  At the same time, Dr. Scheller put his engineering skills to good use by designing a revolutionary total hip replacement system, as well as well as other pioneering metal hip components. In 1982, he published a groundbreaking textbook entitled “Revision Total Hip Arthroplasty,” which was the standard for the surgical procedure for many years.  Over the course of the next eight years, Dr. Scheller received five patents for his medical designs and was a member of a team that developed one of the most widely used total knee implants. During his distinguished career, he has written 45 articles for medical journals concerning his design work and produced three instructional films for the medical community.

 His patriotism and belief in service to his country led to Dr. Scheller joining the reserve medical corps of the Army in 1986. His training included passing all Airborne air assault tests, hand-to-hand combat (he earned a black belt in karate), and weapons firing, for which he qualified as an “expert.”  Assigned to the 75th Ranger Regiment for Operation Desert Storm in 1990, he served as a battalion surgeon before functioning as a regimental surgeon for almost a decade. Eventually, he became the leader of a forward surgical team for the Joint Special Operations Command.  Following 9/11, Dr. Scheller provided medical support of direct-action missions for Delta forces, Navy Seals, Special Forces, and Rangers against “high value” targets in the U.S. counter-terrorism campaign. During his illustrious 20-year military career, Dr. Scheller, who retired in 2006 with the rank of colonel, served in Iraq, Iran, Kosovo, Afghanistan, and the Balkans. In recognition of his valor, he was awarded the Bronze Star for “his critical high-risk missions to disrupt Al-Qaeda and Taliban operations and for his role as a member of Task Force 11 in Afghanistan and Task Force 121 in Iraq with the Joint Special Operations Command. In addition, he was awarded the Meritorious Service Medal for joint missions with the FBI in Baghdad, the Legion of Merit Medal for his years of medical service in counter-terrorism, and three Army Commendation Medals.

 When Dr. Scheller was not serving his country during a crisis, he was working full-time as a surgeon at New England Baptist.   In 1987, he took on a new responsibility, assuming the duties of team physician for the Boston Celtics, a position he held until 2005. Among the basketball legends he performed surgery on were Larry Bird, Kevin McHale, and Bill Walton. “Arnie was a true player’s doctor,” said Hall of Fame center Robert Parish. If a player complained of a health problem, Arnie backed him up one hundred percent. He never failed to look after each and every player’s welfare.”  His work with high-profile athletes did not go unnoticed. In 1993, New England Baptist Hospital named him Chief of the Sports Medicine Department.  In addition to his work with the Celtics, Dr. Scheller was 1993 team physician for the U.S. training camp in Colorado Springs, Colorado; team physician for the U.S. at the 1995 Pan Am Games in Argentina; team physician for USA Basketball in 1994; chief medical officer for the 1994 World Cup Soccer Tournament in Boston; and team physician for the 2000 U.S. Olympic Gymnastics Trials in Boston.

 In 1987, Dr. Scheller founded Pro Sports Orthopedics, Inc., in Waltham, which has three offices, 15 orthopedic surgeons, a chiropractor and two physician assistants. He later established Boston Outpatient Surgical Suites at Healthpoint in Waltham.  Boston Magazine has named him one of the city’s “Top Docs.”

  In 2010, Doctors diagnosed him with stage four throat cancer and gave him a 40 percent chance of survival. As he had done throughout his 63 years, he decided to face the challenge by adopting an optimist’s view. He underwent treatment, subjecting himself to massive doses of radiation and chemotherapy.  His fortitude (along with his sheer stubbornness) enabled him to beat the odds and make a complete recovery. “Arnie is a fighter,” said his wife Sonia, “In fact, he climbed to the top of the Blue Hills Mountain while he was still undergoing chemo. I’d tell him he was overdoing things, but he sort of tuned me out and kept on doing his regular exercise routine.”

 Dr. Scheller, who recently retired from his thriving practice, now spends his time traveling with Sonia and having fun on the family farm in New Hampshire with his daughter, Jesse, her husband, Scott, their children, Skylar, Charlie, Morgan, and Gavin: his son, Mat, his wife, Amy, and their children, Abby, Sage, and Parker.states that his greatest achievement is that he married Gloria, and fathered two daughters, Deborah and Joanne both of whom are college professors and have earned Doctorate Degrees in Education. They have given him three grandchildren: Steve, Lisa and Jenna.

 

 

PREVIOUS RECIPIENTS

 

1988 – William Gilbane

1989 – U.S. Senator John O. Pastore

1990 – Henry A. “Hank” Soar

1991 – Matt Cavanagh (Friendship Award)

1991 – Mosi Tatupu (Friendship Award)

1992 – Paul Choquette, Jr.

1993 – Gov. Philip W. Noel

1994 – Steve Grogan

1995 – Hon. John E. Orton III

1996 – U.S. Senator Claiborne deBorda Pell

1997 – Bradford Boss

1998 – Harry Kizirian

1999 – U.S. Senator Jack Reed

2000 – Armand LaMontague 2001 – Ben Mondor

2002 – Gov. J.J. Garrahy

2003 – Mike Tranghese

2004 – A.J. Smith

2005 – Gov. Donald Carcieri

2006 – Hon. Ronald Machtley

2007 – Joseph MarcAurele

2008 – Rev. Brian Shanley

2009 – Dr. Robert Carothers

2010 – Brig. General James Dunn

2011 – William Gilbane, Jr.

2012 - Michael Goldberger

2013 - Terrance Murray

2014 - George Pyne

2015 - Mark Van Eeghen

2016 - Lou Marciano