Randy and Francine Fischer have been a part of the University of Florida community for almost six decades. Their story began with a high school romance that led to a marriage and medical journey that forever tied them to UF Health.
“I walked out of the cafeteria one day and saw this flying reddish-brown hair,” Randy said, remembering when he saw Francine for the first time. “Next thing I knew, I saw her riding up the hill by my house on a horse of all things. This sweet young thing had me hooked in the heart.”
Shortly after moving to Gainesville in 1970, Randy landed a job as a student assistant in the then-division of ophthalmology working under its director, Herb Kaufman, M.D. After graduating high school in 1970, Francine joined Randy in Gainesville, and they married a few years later.
During law school in 1976, Randy became well acquainted with a group of fellows and advanced-physician trainees, setting the stage for a partnership built on trust and a shared commitment to community service in the Gainesville area.
Their first encounter as patients with UF Health came shortly after, when Francine’s strabismus, an eye disorder where the eyes don’t align properly, caused her eyes to recross 12 years after her first surgery in Atlanta. She then underwent three eye-correcting surgeries at UF Health.
On Dec. 17, 2019, she developed atrial fibrillation (Afib). Her symptoms — dizziness, nausea and an inability to lie flat — prompted a chain of referrals. She received a pre-diagnosis of hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy, or HOCM, a genetic heart condition where the hearts septum between the left and right ventricles become abnormally thick.
This led the Fischers to UF Health cardiologist and advanced heart failure and transplant specialist Juan Vilaro, M.D. Vilaro quickly coordinated a team around chronic heart failure to manage Francine’s complex condition, involving multiple electrophysiology interventions, a pacemaker insertion and MRI imaging that the team had never encountered before.
Vilaro’s challenge with Francine’s case was she had several different heart problems. Treating one issue triggered a bad reaction in another, as her abnormal heart rhythm clashed with the physical structure of her heart.
Francine recalls doing a lot of research on HOCM; the more she read about it, the more scared she got. Stroke had always been on her mind since her father survived a stroke at age 42 and her brother died from a stroke at the brainstem at age 52.
Her first cardioversion to stop AFib was the worst part. Her heart alternated between bradycardia and tachycardia — ranging from as low as 28 beats per minute to as high as 186.
“The entire process felt like a naval battle,” Randy said, noting how each monitoring team moved strategically around Francine.
The experience earned Vilaro the nickname “The Admiral,” a tribute to his commanding presence and the compassion he showed both family and staff during a period marked by five hospital stays and countless drug trials.
Throughout Francine’s treatment, nurses, technicians and physicians created a supportive environment. “(Dr. Vilaro) took my hand and said, I’ll help you,” Francine said. Before a critical ablation, Vilaro told her, “If you were my mother, I’d tell you to do it.”
His compassionate care not only helped steady the ship; it also cemented Randy’s faith in the hospital’s patient‑first philosophy and shaped their decision to give back.
“I smile when I hear the title they gave me,” Vilaro said. “They have always expressed tremendous gratitude for the thoughtful approach we were able to come up with, which was very tailored to Francine’s individual circumstances.”
In honor of Vilaro, the Fischers have given back to support the Heart Failure/Heart Transplant Fellowship. The fellowship provides ongoing support for training the next generation of cardiologists, ensuring the impact of Vilaro’s care will continue in new patients and in new professionals who learn under his guidance.
Their philanthropy has allowed Vilaro and his team to create remarkable educational experiences for their fellows, including attendance at national and international educational conferences. Their support allows the fellowship to grow into what Vilaro always wanted it to be: a premier training program for future heart failure cardiologists.
Their dedication is rooted in the shared belief that “the best possible use” of funds is visible and nearby, and that ripple effects will extend far beyond their initial contribution.
“Having worked my tail off for 36 years, I want to see the best possible use of the resources we have accumulated,” Randy said.
Beyond the hospital walls, the Fischers remain actively involved in the community and travel frequently, when their health permits. Francine spends her time compiling a collection of Florida historical materials. As an AMAC Congressional Delegate for FL-03 (Gainesville/Ocala), Randy spends his retirement advocating for tax reforms that strengthen Social Security and Medicare for seniors.
“There was fear and dwindling hope in Francine’s eyes when I first met her,” Vilaro said. “To have played a role in restoring enjoyable quality of life for her makes me extremely proud of our team and what we can offer patients every day.”
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