South Bend doctor retires after over half a century

SOUTH BEND, Ind. -  Right on the first floor of the South Bend clinic on Eddy Street is Dr. George Horvath.

“I’ve walked these halls for a long time," Dr. Horvath said.

You can say he knows his way around.

"In fact I can tell you how many steps from my office to the parking garage. 212," he said.

The first time he set foot inside this clinic was over half a century ago.

“When I came here to south bend I think there were 19 doctors here at the south bend clinic. There were 6 pediatricians in south bend Mishawaka at that time. When I came to town in 1967 I think an office call was $6," he said. "It was much different than it is now.”

Generation after generation, Dr. Horvath has seen it all.

“10 years ago, at that point, my daughter and I figured out that I have done over 500,000 pediatric exams," he said.

And then the pandemic happened.

“Miserable, miserable year," he said.

Even after getting COVID himself, he came back to the office to continue to do what he does best.

“When I did come back to work I’ve just been seeing healthy kids, my partners didn’t want me to see sick kids," he said. “I’ve just been doing checkups a lot of conferences for add and emotional psychological problems too.”

Tana: Are you seeing more of those because of the pandemic?

“Quite a few more too. A lot of kids have a lot of anxiety, a lot of depression. Especially without seeing friends," he said. “Some days I want t take down the sign that says George Horvath Pediatrics, put up a sign George Horvath Psychiatrist.”

54 years in the medical field and now? It’s his turn to leave the hospital.

“I never ever, in my entire life up until a couple of months ago never ever thought that I’d have an endpoint. In fact, my wife my kids, my partners a lot of my patients told me over the years they are going to carry you out of this place," he said. "Been a lot of tears. I’m going to miss being here.”

Dr. Horvath tells me his decision to retire is solely to be around his family more, with grandkids on their way to senior year of high school before going to college.