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Jed Boal reporting The legacy of late billionaire James LeVoy Sorenson will likely resonate in Utah communities for generations. His son said this week his father left all of his personal wealth to charity.
"Money is not what I'm about," James LeVoy Sorenson said in 2003. "I'm about trying to help people."
When Utah's wealthiest man died last month, he left his personal fortune to help people. His son says it was no surprise. "Dad has never been one to publicly calculate his giving. It's been quite often anonymous, and it's been widespread," James Lee Sorenson said.
James LeVoy Sorenson made the Forbes list of the wealthiest people and topped the Utah list. His estimated worth last year was $4.5 billion.
Sorenson was a pioneer with medical devices. Every hospital in the world uses equipment he helped develop, such as disposable surgical masks. "Dad was just prolific when it came to thinking outside the box," James Lee Sorenson said.
He gave tens of millions of dollars to the community. "He was just an incredible man with a heart of gold," said Rosanita Cespedes, director of the Sorenson Multi-Cultural Center.
The multicultural center named after him offers recreational and educational activities for children and teens. James LeVoy Sorenson grew up in the Depression with very little. "He could relate. He could understand the poor, the uneducated, the disadvantaged, the underserved--not only intellectually, he had a heart of gold," Cespedes said.
The billionaire used to enjoy coming to the multicultural center and playing basketball with the kids and watching them box. He even used to sit down with them and talk about what was going on in their lives.
He gave $20 million for the new Intermountain Medical Center, one of many buildings in the community which bear his name. "His contributions have allowed us to build this state-of-the-art facility. With his support, we're able to have this facility that will benefit the community for years to come," said Kevin Carrillo, director of development for the Deseret Foundation.
"He had a great opportunity, and really an obligation, to give back to people. He made that a reality," James Lee Sorenson said.
The younger Sorenson says the family plans to incorporate that legacy in their lives.
The money will be disbursed over time by the Sorenson Legacy Foundation. For more information on the foundation, click the related link.
