It sounds like a good start to a Johnny Cash song.
But it’s really a story about two friends. One, a self-made East Tennessee farmer, owner-operator of a successful cow-calf and hay operation. The other, a Georgia native, pediatric general thoracic surgeon and Chief Surgical Officer. Both are committed to using their God-given talents and specialized skills to help the children and families at Dolly Parton Children’s Hospital.
As Dr. Glaze Vaughan says, “It’s one of those friendships that was meant to be a long time, even before we met.” Pat Watson agrees, “It’s like we had always known each other.”
“I contacted Children’s because I wanted to help families who were going through hard times with a child in the hospital,” Watson says. Once he met with Director of Development Jennifer Lamb, he found meaningful ways to give back.
“People like Pat Watson help exactly when and where they’re needed,” Lamb says, “like generously providing gift cards throughout the year for extended stay families. Or, after donating sides of beef to our Fantasy of Trees Gala silent auction, taking time from running his farm to drive a box truck and helping with follow-up tasks after big events. He calls asking, ‘What can I do next?’”
Last year, Watson asked Jennifer how he could help with upcoming events, and she mentioned the benefit golf tournament. “I hadn’t played golf for years and didn’t have a team, but I wanted to sponsor one anyway.” Lamb knew the perfect person to pair him with. “The Boot Doctor.”
“I always enjoyed wearing cowboy boots growing up,” Vaughan explains, “and I fit right in when I practiced in Texas. Families don’t always remember my name, but they remember my boots.”
“When Jennifer met me at the golf tournament,” Watson says, “she said, ‘Look for cowboy boots.’ When we met, I asked, ‘Where’re your cowboy boots?’” Vaughan replied, “If Nike made a golf boot, I’d probably wear it.”
“Putting Pat Watson with Dr. Vaughan on a team was a match made in heaven. They’re both successful men in their fields, and both have such caring hearts,” Lamb adds.
While riding in the golf cart, they shared stories about growing up in the South, their work, and even discovered they go to the same large church, but had never met there. Shared values explain a lot about the friendship they struck up.
“I grew up on a small farm in Madisonville,” Watson says. “I played four sports, but outside that, I just worked on our farm. My dad believed in hard work … cutting trees, plowing corn, harnessing horses. But I always had a sayin’ … Put your head down and keep plowin’. We’ve been blessed, but it’s still hard. Through the years, you make investments, work 70 to 80-hour weeks, stress and hope things work out.
It gives you a drive to do better, do more. It builds your work ethic. In the long run, you see the reward in that.”
“I grew up in a rural Georgia town and was a three-sport letterman,” Vaughan says. “Looking back, sports taught me life lessons that put me on the road for what I do today. When coaches pour into their players’ lives, at the time, you think it’s about competing and winning. I didn’t realize that the lessons learned, such as goal-setting, hard work and delayed gratification, were the recipe for future success, leading me to do things I never could have imagined.”
Watson says of his friend, “I feel blessed to know him. Like me, he loves the outdoors and the opportunity to be around animals. He’s a kind-hearted, humble guy with such a great personality. There are only a few surgeons who can do multiple kinds of surgeries on children. The hospital couldn’t have a better person to interact with those families during the hardest times for them.”
Pediatric and general thoracic surgery is a very small specialty, with only 1200-1300 practicing surgeons in the country. Vaughan is also Children’s first Chief Surgical Officer. “I never imagined being a pediatric surgeon. I was a late bloomer, starting medical school at 26. Throughout my career, I’ve been blessed to serve in various leadership roles that have prepared me for this new role.”
Vaughan says of his friend, “Pat is extremely humble and, at the same time, extremely successful, but doesn’t necessarily like talking about it. But when I ask questions about his business, he’ll tell me. It’s incredible how he’s grown that farm, but you have to drag it out of him. He has one of the largest independent cow-calf operations in the Southeast,” Vaughan says. “His work ethic is amazing.”
Watson helped his dad plow with a team of horses until they got their first tractor when he was 17. Now, Watson Farms, his cow-calf and hay operation, encompasses 4,000 acres in five counties with several thousand head of cattle. In the past, they supplied hay to venues like Dixie Stampede, hunter-jumper facilities and the Kentucky Derby. “In the last 15 years, we’ve grown and been blessed by both the cattle and hay business. I’ve always put my faith in God, and he’s blessed me with things that wouldn’t have ever happened without his hand.”
Which brings the story back to the mule. “Nowadays, my dad buys and breeds horses, donkeys and mules just because we like having them around. We had a baby mule born in the spring that didn’t have a name yet,” Watson explains. “When I told Jennifer about it, she made the connection again. We should name her Glaze.”
For years, it’s been a running joke with Children’s staff that Vaughan couldn’t persuade any moms-to-be to name their baby Glaze. He’d insist that Glaze is a great name. “Glaze is my mother’s maiden name.
“It’s definitely unique. I’ve never met anyone who goes by that name, so when I introduce myself to others, I do have to add, ‘Glaze, like a donut.’”
But no one grabbed it for their baby until Lamb tagged “Glaze” for Watson’s baby mule. In June, Vaughan made a return visit to his friend’s farm to meet his namesake.
“I never would’ve dreamed that a small town farmer would get to meet everybody at Children’s and find a new friend like Glaze Vaughan,” Watson says. “There’s no better cause than trying to help Children’s. It’s a great feeling to put your hard work into this great cause.”
“Pat is such a genuine soul and caring person. Busy as he is, something about his character made him decide to invest part of his life with us. It’s a great blessing for Children’s, but also a blessing as a new friend who means a lot to me,” Vaughan adds.
“I developed a life philosophy years ago: Be humble, live simply, love earnestly, care deeply, speak kindly and never cease in attempting to do good. I think Pat and I try to do those things. What resonates with both of us is that, at heart, we’re simple people. That’s why we gravitated toward each other.”
Two friends, a surgeon and a farmer, both with a servant’s heart—and, at last, a baby mule named Glaze.
DollyChildrens.org.