OrthoIndy orthopedic surgeon, Dean Maar, M.D., died at his home the day before Thanksgiving.
He wasn’t sick, elderly or injured in an accident. The 61-year-old surgeon was shot and killed protecting his family during a home invasion.
While preparing to host a large, extended family Thanksgiving dinner he confronted armed attackers and, according to his obituary, “sacrificed his life to save the love of his life,” his wife, Deborah. The obituary went on to note that he saved countless lives and limbs in the trauma center “by making decisions and acting upon them under intense pressure and with little time for reflection.”
According to local news reports, the Hendricks County Sheriff’s Office responded to the Maar home near Brownsburg Wednesday evening, November 27, 2019. They were called about a burglary in progress.
When the deputies arrived Dr. Maar was already dead, and the assailants had fled.
Investigators believe this was an attempted robbery. They also said a small fire appeared to be intentionally set inside the home but was quickly put out by first responders.
Leader, Doctor, Husband and Dad
Maar was a leader at OrthoIndy. Tim Dicke, M.D., president and CEO of the clinic released this statement:
“Dr. Dean Maar has been a cornerstone of OrthoIndy as a previous board member and former Vice President and was instrumental to the development of our renowned trauma program. He will be remembered for his integrity in all aspects of his patient care and contributions to the practice.”
One of Dr. Maar’s patients, Erica Sage, wrote this: “I just saw him for my appointment yesterday after breaking my leg in September. He was always so sweet and patient, calming me down when I was nervous, and spoke to my mom after like he truly cared. I’m so shocked we were smiling and laughing at my appointment at 10:30 am, and he went home to this. My heart breaks for his family and work family.”
He is survived by his wife, Deborah, his children, Emily, Megan and Sarah, his father, Clyde, and his siblings: Wayne (Sharon), Janet (Tim) and Gary (Kandi).
You can read his obituary here.
Dean Maar, M.D.
Dr. Maar completed his undergraduate studies at DePauw University in Greencastle, graduating in 1981. He graduated from Indiana University School of Medicine in 1985 and completed an orthopedic residency at Indiana University School of Medicine in 1990.
He completed two fellowships in 1991: one in total hip and knee adult reconstructive surgery at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Maryland, and another in Ilizarov Reconstruction at the University of Maryland in Baltimore.
Dr. Maar has manuscripts published in Orthopedics, The Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery, The Journal of Arthroplasty and other medical periodicals. He has presented on national and international levels and served as the assistant editor for The Journal of Arthroplasty from 1991 to 1999.
Indianapolis Monthly named him as a “Top Doctors” from 2014 – 2019.
With more than 70 orthopedic specialists and 11 locations, OrthoIndy is the largest physician-owned, full-service orthopedic practice in the Midwest, and one of the largest in the country.
If anyone has any information about the case, they are asked to please contact the Hendricks County Sheriff’s Office investigations division at 317-745-9354 and reference case number 19-9241.
Godspeed, Dr. Maar. You certainly earned it.
