Dr. John Thiele, Katrina caregiver, dies at 58
January 04, 2011 Times Picayune
Submitted by N.O.V.A.


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Dr. John Thiele, a lung specialist who was among the health care providers who worked under hellish
conditions at Memorial Medical Center in the days after Hurricane Katrina, died Friday of cancer at his
Metairie home the day before his 59th birthday.

Dr. Thiele, a lifelong New Orleanian, stayed at the Napoleon Avenue hospital, which had lost electricity and
was surrounded by floodwaters, to care for patients, many of whom were frail and desperately ill. Thirty-
four patients died there during and after the storm.

Dr. Thiele was quoted in a New York Times article as saying he gave higher-than-usual doses of morphine and
midazolam to at least one patient during that period. Orleans Parish Coroner Frank Minyard said he found no
deaths linked to those dosages.

When the story came out, Dr. Thiele, acting on his attorney’s advice, declined to discuss the case.

Dr. Thiele earned a bachelor’s degree in biology at the University of New Orleans and a medical degree at
LSU School of Medicine. He had a residency in internal medicine and a fellowship in pulmonary diseases.

He was a consultant in pulmonary diseases at Memorial Medical Center (now Ochsner Baptist Medical Center),
medical director of respiratory care at Kenner Regional Medical Center and a clinical assistant professor of
medicine at LSU Health Sciences Center. Most recently, he was medical director at Ochsner Extended Care
Hospital of Kenner.

Survivors include his wife, Patricia Spindel Thiele; two sons, John Jr. and Kevin Thiele; a daughter, Leslie
Thiele; a brother, Mike Thiele; three sisters, Susan McCarthy, Joni Rockwell and Jane Anderson; and three
grandchildren.

Visitation will be held today from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Lake Lawn Metairie Funeral Home, 5100 Pontchartrain
Blvd., followed by a Mass at 1 p.m.

Burial will be private.