SEATTLE — On Friday, Dr. Abraham Bergman, a top pediatrician and community leader, died at 91 years old. He is considered one of the city's pioneers in the medical field, who fought to help children living in poverty and those with disabilities.
Dr. Bergman was born and raised in Seattle. For more than 20 years he was the chief of pediatrics at Harborview Medical Center and was also the founder of the Odessa Brown Children's Clinic, a satellite of Seattle Children's Hospital that primarily serves low-income families.
Ben Bergman, one of Dr. Bergman’s eight children, believes his father left a legacy, not only for thousands of patients but for the entire Northwest.
"The phrase 'one-of-a-kind' is overused...He was really a legend in Seattle,” said Ben, “I think that he taught us so clearly that actions matter more than words and to just get stuff done. And that's what he did for so many decades, for so many children here in Seattle, Washington state and at the national level."
His family also said he was passionate about a specialty he coined, “political medicine,” advocating for landmark laws to benefit public health to prevent people from ending up in the hospital in the first place. Dr. Bergman is also known for a bicycle helmet promotion campaign that his family said significantly increased the usage rates among Seattle children.
Despite Dr. Bergman’s long list of accomplishments throughout his prolific career. His family said he's most proud of building and running a park in the Central District, known as the "Seattle Playgarden" which has allowed thousands of children with all types of abilities a safe place to play over the years.
"If you're a kid and you're disabled and you can't go to a playground and suddenly you have this beautiful place you can play, that's a big difference," said Ben.
Dr. Bergman also made a significant impact on his colleagues, including doctors at Harborview Medical Center.
"Wonderful person, we had a great relationship, he was a mentor for me,” said Dr. Fred Rivara, who worked with Dr. Bergman for decades. “In many ways, he was my academic father, in terms of guiding me. He looked out for me, and I looked out for him. We had a close relationship; I saw him a week ago and we'll really miss him."
Dr. Bergman's family said they'll continue to build on his everlasting legacy. "We think of him every day and we will think of him every day and his legacy is very much with us for a long time to come," said Ben.