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Starting Medtronic was just the start for Bakken

Medtronic took off with Bakken leading the way for 40 years.

MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. -- Medtronic - the world's largest medical device company - started small.

"The entire medical device industry in Minnesota, certainly, but much around the world starts in a garage with this guy named Earl," said R.T. Rybak, the former Minneapolis Mayor.

Earl. Earl Bakken, who was born and raised in Minnesota. That Minnesota garage gave him space to tinker; years later, Bakken invented the first battery-powered pacemaker, telling KARE 11 in 2007, this was his proudest moment.

"Seeing that first pacemaker work on a child. That was such an emotional thing for my life," said Bakken at the time.

Medtronic took off with Bakken leading the way for 40 years.

But, his life's work wasn't done.

"He challenged us all to say because of the medical advances - your life is saved, what are you going to do with it," said Rybak, who met Bakken later in life, after he - himself - had suffered a massive heart attack.

Rybak was flown to Hawaii for Medtronic's annual "Bakken Invitational" - which honors people who have overcome health challenges with the help of medical technology to inspire others.

Bakken was in his 90's at the time, "but, he was extremely clear about the idea that the world needed healing and the healing started with individuals, and each one of us had a huge role in it. And, I found him to be a near spiritual person, which is unusual for somebody who had been such a successful business guy," said Rybak.

Rybak was moved by Bakken's "live on, give on" motto. So, in 2016, he became the President and CEO of the Minneapolis Foundation, a non-profit helping donors manage their charitable assets.

"Earl was a humanitarian, but I think he started with the word human and self. And, the idea that we can all, I think, try to change the world, but you can only start with yourself," said Rybak.

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