Russell M. Nelson

American religious leader and surgeon, 17th President of the LDS Church.

Chronology: 1924-09-09 – 2025-09-27

Origins & Early Life

Russell Marion Nelson Sr. (September 9, 1924 – September 27, 2025) was an American religious leader and surgeon who was the seventeenth president of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) from 2018 until his death in 2025. Before becoming church president, Nelson was a member of its Quorum of the Twelve Apostles for nearly thirty-four years and was the quorum president from 2015 to 2018. As church president, Nelson was recognized by the church as the prophet, seer, and revelator.

Pivotal Works & Achievements

A native of Salt Lake City, Nelson attended the University of Utah for his undergraduate and medical school education. He then did his medical residency and earned a PhD at the University of Minnesota, where he was a member of the research team of Clarence Dennis that in 1951 pioneered the first human open-heart surgery using cardiopulmonary bypass. After serving in the U.S. Army Medical Corps during the Korean War, Nelson returned to Salt Lake City and accepted a professorship at the University of Utah School of Medicine. He spent the next twenty-nine years working in the field of cardiothoracic surgery.

Enduring Legacy & Impact

Nelson became a noted heart surgeon and served as president of the Society for Vascular...

Source: Wikipedia