On January 10, 2016, this community lost one of its brightest lights, a doctor whose career touched the lives of many, a surgeon whose hands healed hundreds, and a father and husband who loved his family like no other. Doctor Mehdi Sarkarati was born in Tabriz, Iran on November 18, 1939. He was the oldest of ten. He studied medicine at Tehran University. In the mid-1960's, Dr. Sarkarati left his homeland to further his education in America. Dr. Sarkarati attended Johns Hopkins School of Medicine in Baltimore, MD, where he focused his studies in the field of neurosurgery. It was at this time Dr. Sarkarati met his true love, a young nurse who would forever change the direction of his life. The two would eventually marry and begin a family. Their union was blessed with five healthy children. As their family grew, so too did Dr. Sarkarati's burgeoning medical career. After a residency in Neurosurgery at Baltimore City Hospital, Dr. Sarkarati moved his family from Maryland to Massachusetts to join the Spinal Cord Injury Service in the Neurosurgery Department at the Veteran's Administration Hospital in West Roxbury. The family moved to Newton, which remains their home to this day. Over the years, the family would continue to grow through marriage and grandchildren. Dr. Sarkarati enjoyed a long and distinguished career in service of the Veteran's Administration, working with our nation's wounded warriors, rising all the way to Chief of Staff, before he retired after twenty five years. Dr. Sarkarati also advanced the study of medicine for future generations of doctors and surgeons as an instructor and lecturer at Harvard School of Medicine and Tufts University School of Medicine. Dr. Sarkarati continued to practice medicine even after retirement, until a tragic ailment befell his bride and he turned his skill, guided by his love and devotion, to her care, up until his death. During his career, Dr. Sarkarati was lauded for his excellence numerous times including achieving the Rehabilitation Residents Teaching Award, at Tufts University School of Medicine, the PM&R Attending of the Year Award, also at Tufts, and the Greater Boston Chapter of the National Spinal Cord Injury Associations Lifetime Achievement Award. Dr. Sarkarati was also credited in many research studies and co-authored numerous medical journal articles. Doctor Mehdi Sarkarati is survived by his wife, Kathleen, by his children and their spouses, Ali and Deepti, Shahin and Greg Smith, Hamid and Sylvia, Reza and Kristen, and Mariam and Ryan Hurley, and by his grandchildren, Alexandra, Zakary, Kira, Josh, Connor, Diego, Piya, Megan, Isabella, and Logan, and by lives he touched through his calling to medicine. He will be remembered and missed. At the request of the family funeral services and burial will be private. In lieu of flowers donation's in his memory may be made to the New England Paralyzed Veterans of America, 1600 Providence Highway, Ste 143, Walpole , MA 02081 or online at www.NEPVA.org