This summer I was asked to create three videos for the 95th Birthday Celebration of Russell M. Nelson. Nelson serves as the president of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The videos spoke about Nelson’s contributions to the church, to the field of cardiovascular medicine and in his own family. It was a great experience to interview persons who have known President Nelson over the years. We spoke with fellow surgeons, apostles and members of the Nelson family. Here are all three videos from the celebration event.

Nelson was a a key figure in the field of cardiovascular medicine. Early on he was involved with research on the Heart and Lung Machine. In 1956, when Dr. Nelson did his first open heart surgery in Salt Lake City, Utah was only the third state in the United States to perform open heart surgery. I was able to find a few old photos of Dr. Nelson at the time he was doing research at the University of Minnesota and with his Heart and Lung Machine in 1956.

Nelson studying at the University of Minnesota. Image courtesy University of Minnesota Archives.

Dr. Nelson with his Heart and Lung Machine on April 8, 1956. Salt Lake Tribune Photograph courtesy of Utah State Historical Society.

Having the opportunity to interview President Nelson’s children and grandchildren was very fun. Nelson was loving father to his children and a very supportive husband to his wife Dantzel. The family provided me with digitized 8mm film footage, photos and slides taken by Nelson.

Video thumbnail images courtesy newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org.