Car-crash victim a surgeon

Marisa O’Neil

As a neurosurgeon at Western Medical Center in Santa Ana, John C.

Kennady worked for more than 30 years helping to heal those on the

brink of death.

Wednesday afternoon, the Newport Beach resident died after a Costa

Mesa car crash, in the very hospital he spent so much of his life. He

was 78.

“He was a trauma neurosurgeon,” said Shelle Bilhartz, the

hospital’s vice president.

“That’s the irony of it all. He saved people’s lives constantly.”

Kennady turned his Porsche Carrera left on South Coast Drive from

Hyland Avenue in Costa Mesa when a Dodge Durango SUV broadsided him

at about 3 p.m. Wednesday, police said.

The Porsche ended up in a dirt berm alongside the northbound San

Diego Freeway. Rescue crews cut Kennady out of the Porsche and took

him to Western Medical Center in critical condition, police said.

Kennady was conscious enough to know he was at his own hospital,

Bilhartz said.

When word got out, other surgeons -- even those not on duty --

showed up to help.

“We had a trauma center full of surgeons,” she said. “That’s how

loved he was.”

Despite their best efforts, Kennady died of his injuries at 4:48

p.m., Orange County supervising deputy coroner Mitchell Sigal said.

Kennady was still working at the hospital full-time and was

planning to come in to work Thursday, Bilhartz said.

The much-loved surgeon was deeply devoted to his wife and enjoyed

taking exotic vacations, she said.

“Our staff was very shook up [by his death],” she said. “A lot of

staff worked with him for years. We’re very saddened.

“He was just one of those doctors that was caring and kind and

always had nice things to say.

“Other doctors said they never even heard him raise his voice.

“He had a calm, kind mannerism about himself with his patients and

his patients’ families.”

Police are still trying to find out who was at fault in the

accident.

Witnesses behind both drivers reported that each had a green

light, police said.

The 37-year-old Westminster woman driving the Durango was not

injured in the accident, Costa Mesa Police traffic investigator

Carlos Diaz said. Two of her three children, ages 7 to 14, suffered

minor injuries in the crash. They were treated at and released from

Fountain Valley Regional Hospital, Diaz said.

* MARISA O’NEIL covers public safety and courts. She may be

reached at (714) 966-4618 or by e-mail at marisa.oneil@latimes.com.