Winner: Harold Fernandez

Harold A. FernandezHeart surgeon

Dr. Harold A. Fernandez of Huntington was recently honored by the Hispanic Counseling Center of Hempstead for his "inspirational success story" as an undocumented immigrant who became a cardiothoracic surgeon, the organization said. Fernandez is co-director of the Stony Brook University Heart Institute as well as a professor of surgery and deputy chief of the Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery. He came to the United States at age 13 from Colombia and within 10 years received his bachelor of science degree in molecular biology from Princeton University, followed by a medical degree from Harvard University and a fellowship in cardiothoracic surgery from New York University Langone Medical Center.