Stephen Rerych

Stephen Karl "Steve" Rerych (born May 14, 1946) is an American retired surgeon and former swimmer for North Carolina State University, a 1968 Olympic gold medalist, and former world record-holder.

Swimming career
Rerych attended North Carolina State University from 1964-1968 where he swam for outstanding Coach, Willis Casey. As an exceptional athlete, he also played baseball for NC State, and played pitcher the year the team progressed to the College World Series.

At the 1968 Summer Olympics in Mexico City, Rerych won two gold medals. He swam the second leg for the winning U.S. team in the men's 4×100-meter freestyle relay; with relay teammates Zac Zorn, Mark Spitz and Ken Walsh, he helped set a new world record of 3:31.7 in the event final. He received another gold medal as a member of the first-place U.S. team in the 4×200-meter freestyle relay, together with teammates John Nelson, Spitz and Don Schollander. Individually, he also competed in the preliminary heats of the men's 200-meter freestyle, clocking a time of 2:00.6, but did not advance.

Professional career
He later went on to become a general surgeon. Rerych received his medical degree from Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons in 1974. In 1975, he completed his internship at Duke University Medical Center in general and thoracic surgery. In 1986, Rerych was named the Chief Resident in General, Vascular and Thoracic Surgery at Duke University and the Veteran's Medical Center in Asheville, North Carolina.

In 1990 he had his first and only child, Stephanie Rerych. In 1991, he served as an assistant clinical professor of general, vascular and thoracic surgery at the same institutions. Prior to moving to West Virginia, he was in private practice as a general, thoracic and plastic surgeon in Asheville, practicing at Memorial Mission Hospital and St. Joseph's Hospital (now combined as The Mission St. Joseph's Health System).