Heart transplant hasn't stopped Newt Hasson from standing by his beloved Westlake Chaps
When it comes to his beloved Westlake football team, Dr. Newt Hasson's heart is in the right place.
There's no other way to explain the depth of his passion and devotion to the Chaparrals. He was named team doctor in 1985 and, with the exception of the 2020 season — which he calls his "medical redshirt year" — he has missed fewer than five games over that span.
But when it comes to being a super fan, Hasson takes it to a different level. The retired orthopedic surgeon's heart was failing in the spring of 2019 and he needed a transplant to survive. He was placed on a national waiting list, but when two hearts became available later that fall, he turned them down.
While most of his close friends called him foolish and perhaps a bit crazy for not having the life-saving procedure done immediately, Hasson had a reason for delaying it.
Westlake was two games shy of winning its first state championship since Drew Brees led the Chaps to the 1996 title, and Hasson would have missed the glory of becoming a state champion if he had the surgery. He was certain that Westlake would win those games and he was right. The Chaps defeated Katy Taylor 63-3 in the Class 6A Division II semifinals before shutting out Denton Guyer 24-0 in the title game at AT&T Stadium.
"I was able to convince my transplant cardiologist that if I were to miss either the state semifinals or finals, it would likely kill me more quickly than my heart disease," Hasson said this week.
Hasson, 73, would get his heart transplant in February 2020.
Why move to Texas? Because here 'football is king'
During a two-hour interview, he explained his love of football and family and being a part of one of the best high school programs in the state, if not the entire nation. The relationships he has built with players, coaches, parents, fans and administrators are priceless.
His love affair with the sport began in suburban Baltimore in 1958 when the Colts defeated the New York Giants 23-17 on an Alan Ameche touchdown run in sudden-death overtime. The Colts were loaded with Pro Football Hall of Famers such as Johnny Unitas, Art Donovan, Geno Marchetti, Lenny Moore, Jim Parker and Raymond Berry.
About 10 years later, Hasson accepted a scholarship to play football at Duke. He also was captain of Duke's lacrosse team and president of the senior class. He stayed at Duke for medical school and would later attend Stanford for his internship in surgery and residency in orthopedic surgery.
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Hasson and his wife of 43 years, Pam, moved to Austin in 1983 because they wanted to live in a place where "football is king." One of their three grown children, Duke, played quarterback for the Chaparrals team that went to the 2000 state finals before losing to Cedric Benson and Midland Lee 33-21.
Hasson tells a funny story about his only prenuptial agreement with Pam: if they were to have a son, he would be named Duke. Hasson got the the idea for the name from a poster outside the Westlake locker room of a Beechcraft twin-engine aircraft called The Duke.
Hasson remembers the subhead on the poster: "With a name like that, you know it's gotta be good."
Westlake coach Tony Salazar said his players are aware of Hasson's medical history and notes that their team doctor "never misses" any of their 5:30 a.m. practices. He can be spotted sitting on some makeshift bleachers adjacent to the practice field with a handful of fathers of current Westlake players. He also attends all of Salazar's breakfast meetings with fans on Tuesdays.
"It's a comforting feeling to walk on the practice field every day and we see him," senior offensive lineman Tyler Knape said. "I can't put a price on that."
Knape added that Hasson knows the names, numbers and positions of every player on the team and sometimes strikes up conversations with them.
Westlake plays on Saturday, and Hasson will be there
It has been nearly four years since Hasson was given a new heart. Although there have been a few complications, he expects to live another 10 years, he said. One drawback is his inability to feel with his hands. He said they are numb from atrophy. If someone shakes his hand, he can't feel it.
"I feel very fortunate to have a new lease on life," Hasson said. "So many of my friends have already passed away and many others have terminal illnesses. And here I am with a chance to live until my early 80s, perhaps even longer."
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Back to the present, Westlake needs to win three more games to add to its collection of state championship trophies. That includes a showdown against neighborhood and District 26-6A rival Lake Travis on Saturday afternoon in Pflugerville.
Win or lose, the season will be over sometime in December. No more practices. No more Tuesday morning gatherings with Salazar. No more Friday night games. Spring football returns in April and May, though, with new players and a renewed optimism for 2024.
Hasson will be there. His heart is still in the game.
This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Westlake football has had Dr. Newt Hasson's team support for 38 years
