Detroit, Michigan (c 1893- March 11, 1968) age ~98 yrs

Nona Tooner Brock, a courageous Black woman spent her life helping others.  At 93 or 97 years old, Brock’s age depends on who you ask. She is one of the oldest patients on record to undergo open heart surgery. Dr. Larry Stephenson, the Chief of Cardio-Thoracic surgery at Harper Hospital and Detroit Medical Center, performed surgery on Brock. He used a vein taken from her leg to bypass a blockage in one of her coronary arteries. When she was told that her story will inspire other elderly to undergo surgery, Brock smiled. She said “I might be an inspiration. You never can tell, even to someone much younger than me.”