- February 18, 2025
How well could a surgeon publish a newspaper? How well could a publisher perform surgery? We’re about to find out.
Dr. John Walsh, who specializes in cardiac surgery, recently met up with another man of the same name, but no relation, and the two decided to trade places — just for fun, just for today. John Walsh is the publisher of the Observer newspapers in Palm Coast and Ormond Beach.
“I thought it was a great idea,” said Publisher Walsh. “The only problem is, I don’t know how to do heart surgery.”
That was the cause of some concern for Beverly Brick, who is scheduled to undergo a double bypass today at 3 p.m.
“I don’t see why they couldn’t trade places some time next week,” she said, as she was being prepped in the operating room.
While Publisher Walsh skim read an anatomy book in the corner, Brick and her family signed extensive waiver forms.
“Do I really have to fill out my address at the top of every page?” Brick’s husband, Bobby, said.
Meanwhile, the real Dr. John Walsh was leaving his fourth Chamber of Commerce event of the day and racing to a fifth. He said he was exhausted filling the publisher’s role of being an ambassador in the community.
“I’ve never schmoozed so much in my life,” Dr. Walsh said. “But we keep winning awards at the newspaper, so I must be doing something right.”
And if you believed all that, then you must have forgotten what day it is. April Fools! Gotcha!
