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Longtime Troy University Athletics team physician Dr. Peter “Mickey” DiChiara passed away on Monday, Aug. 12, at the age of 73.

DiChiara spent nearly four decades as a team physician for Troy Athletics. DiChiara is a Bessemer native and attended University of Alabama, serving as photographer for The Crimson White. DiChiara served in the U.S. Army following graduation from Alabama and started his work in medicine. After attending Physician’s Assistant School in Birmingham, he ventured to Troy, where he was assigned to clinicals with Dr. Stewart Andendorf.

At Troy’s Edge Memorial Hospital – now Troy Regional Medical Center – DiChiara met his future wife, Cheryl. After attending medical school at UAB, DiChiara returned to his wife’s hometown of Troy and joined with Dr. James O. “Tip” Colley as associates.

He founded Pike Internal Medicine in the Troy community and served as Troy University’s physician consultant in the Student Health Center beginning in 1990 and became Troy Athletics’ primary team physician in 2007.

“On a personal level, Dr. DiChiara was loved by my family and by me,” Troy University Chancellor Dr. Jack Hawkins Jr. said. “Not only was he our family physician, he was our friend. He will be missed by the community and by all who had the privilege of knowing him.”

A funeral mass will be held at 10 a.m. on Aug. 16 at St. Martin of Tours Catholic Church. Burial will follow at Green Hills Memorial Cemetery. A casual celebration will also be held Aug. 15 from 5 until 8 p.m. at Kendall Hall in downtown Troy.

“Our hearts and our prayers go out to his family, friends and the countless others whose lives were impacted for the better by Dr. DiChiara,” Troy Director of Athletics Brent Jones said.