Politics & Government

Mayor Dielmann Getting Back In The Swing Of Things Following Heart Surgery

Creve Coeur Mayor expects to be back at City Council meetings starting next week.

Creve Coeur Mayor Harold Dielmann has been re-emerging into public life following open heart surgery in February to repair a leaky heart valve. Dielmann, 81, has been on the mend since the procedure in February at and has been absent from city council meetings.

Dielmann appeared at a retirement party for longtime city employee Pat Rosenblatt last month, and got a round of applause at a ceremony last week honoring city police officers and another at an event Friday in conjunction with the

Dielmann told Patch he's received 500 cards from well-wishers since the procedure, which he said was the first time he's been hospitalized for surgery. While he said it's been an adjustment being at home for so long recooperating, Dielmann said he's tried to stay up to date on city business, and has responded to constituent email.

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He's set to return to city council meetings starting next week, when new council members Scott Saunders and Charlotte D'Alfonso are sworn in. Dielmann said he was sorry to see Robert Haddenhorst lose (D'Alfonso won by a large margin), but that he's spoken with the new members and looks forward to working with them.

Calling the surgery something that definitely extended his life, Dielmann said he's learned "You've got to take care of yourself," he said. "I was glad that they found the problem. I had no idea I had a problem until I went to the doctor for a physical." But not even open heart surgery could keep him from bragging about one thing post-surgery:

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“They were able to repair the leak with my own parts,” he said.


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