In recognition of these and other achievements he was knighted in 1971 further confirming a national prominence comparable to that achieved by René Favaloro in Argentina and Christiaan Barnard in South Africa.
In 1967, Sones's Cleveland Clinic colleague, Dr. René Favaloro, performed the world's first coronary bypass surgery.
Following his suicide, it was revealed that he had written a letter to Argentine President Fernando de la Rúa, that had never been read, in which he expressed being tired of "being a beggar in his own country," and asked for De la Rúa's help to raise money to help the Foundation.
René Descartes | René Char | René Magritte | François-René de Chateaubriand | René Goscinny | Leon René | René Jacobs | Rene Daalder | Rene Russo | René Lévesque | Rene Requiestas | René Kollo | René Clausen | René Clair | Rene Portland | René Clemencic | Rene Auberjonois | René Higuita | Rene Goulet | René Girard | François-René de La Tour du Pin, Chambly de La Charce | Sherie Rene Scott | René Sergent | René Rémond | René Lussier | René Laennec | René II, Duke of Lorraine | Rene d'Harnoncourt | René de La Tour du Pin | Otis René |