Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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BLUEGOLDONLINE.COM SEPT. 20, 2025 51 ico, was the beginning of a long series of mission projects in Mexico, Brazil, China, South Africa, Senegal and Madagascar. "For almost 20 years," Dr. Hurd said, "my mission colleagues and I restored sight to thousands of patients, and shared and exchanged knowledge of surgical techniques and medical diag- nostic and therapeutic procedures with foreign host physicians." Dr. Hurd is also a medical innovator and inventor, holding multiple medical technology patents. Then there is his music. He has per- formed with such notables as Jean Carne, Norman Connors, Gary Bartz, and his longtime friend Kirk Whalum, fellow Memphis product, saxophonist, song- writer and multiple Grammy winner. His discography includes 3 CDs: Magic Mu- sic, Hip Pocket and Return of the Hip, all done in collaboration with Charles Curl. Dr. Hurd makes trips back to Notre Dame to assist Larry Dwyer with the Notre Dame Jazz Festival and plays in a local quartet with Dwyer and two others. Said Whalum of Dr. Hurd: "The legacy of achievement, diligence across multiple disciplines, and excellence that Bill set was a bar we all esteemed as unattainable. But the wonderful thing for me has been getting to know the kind, spiritual, hum- ble man behind all of that achievement." "If you are going to pick a Notre Dame all-around student-athlete or a renais- sance man, Bill Hurd has to be at the top of your list," Hanratty said. "My friend and teammate brought world-class speed and brilliance to everything he did." In 1994, Dr. Hurd received the NCAA Silver Anniversary Award, given to for- mer college athletes who do extraordi- nary things in their first 25 years after graduating. Among others honored in his class were Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Calvin Hill and Jim Ryun. Dr. Hurd and his wife of 55 years, Judge Rhynette Northcross Hurd, are the proud parents of two sons, Bill Jr. and Ryan, the latter a 2005 Notre Dame graduate with a double major in com- puter science and Japanese. Ryan works as a visual effects artist and computer animator in Los Angeles. No doubt inspired by the incredible legacy achieved by his father. ✦ Reserve your table/ticket TODAY by visiting: www.RockneSociety.org/shop You Are Invited To Attend The Ninth Annual Knute Rockne Spirit of Sports Awards 11 a.m., Friday, Sept. 19 The History Museum South Bend Honoring these sports and media figures… Bryant Young….ND All-American, Pro Hall of Famer Coach Digger Phelps… hoops coaching legend Hannah Storm…. groundbreaking sportscaster Coach Jeff Jackson….national hockey leader Tricia Sloma…. long-serving WNDU anchor Dr. Bill Hurd…. ND athlete, doctor, musician Jim Lefebvre is an award-winning Notre Dame author and leads the Knute Rockne Memorial Society. He can be reached at: jim@ndfootballhistory.com Hurd, the author of 'Memphis to Madagascar: My Life in Focus,' will receive the 2025 Rockne Inspiration Award at the ninth annual Knute Rockne Spirit of Sports Awards Celebration at The History Museum of South Bend. PHOTO COURTESY BILL HURD