Garth

Welcome to Garth’s story, told through a series of vignettes that aim to capture his life—so far. These are the moments that made him. Or rather, the ones he made the most of.

Early Years
Guided By Greats
Into the Spotlight
Loved by Patients. Ranked by Surgeons.
Life Today

Early Years

Why Don’t You Trust the Government?

During the Vietnam War in 1969, Garth’s father, Donald Garth Fisher, was deployed on a classified U.S. Air Force operation. His aircraft went down over Laos. The military declared him missing in action, meaning: we don’t know what happened, sorry bud. No confirmation of death. No confirmation of survival. For years, the family knew literally nothing.

Residencies & Revelations

Sixteen years later, Garth was 27 and deep in his surgical residency. Long shifts, ER rotations, the works. Life was busy, chaotic, and full of pressure—but it was during this time that something remarkable happened: for the first time in his life, Garth got something concrete regarding his father.

Through the Freedom of Information Act, he requested a set of government documents that offered a more complete picture—one the military had never shared. Revelation number one: his father had definitely survived the crash. Then came revelation number two: his father had likely been taken prisoner, captured alive in enemy territory.

But the final and most devastating revelation? The military knew everything and did nothing. No acknowledgement. No rescue. No disclosure. Just… he’s MIA.

The Art of Creative Persistence

One name stood out in the documents: Major Charles Whittaker, the sole survivor from the same mission. Garth became singularly focused on tracking him down—the only living person who might have seen what really happened. Unfortunately, the Air Force refused to release Whittaker’s contact information. But, through the art of creative persistence, Garth implemented a pretty amazing workaround.

Still in scrubs, Garth called the one place he could think of: the military base where his father had once been stationed. When he reached them, he put that medical training to use—by pretending to be Whittaker’s surgeon. He claimed there was a medical emergency and needed Whittaker’s contact info ASAP. The story was completely fabricated but confidently delivered, right down to the urgency in his voice. He spoke the language. He knew the tone. He even threw in a few choice clinical phrases for good measure. It was bold, possibly illegal, and exactly what worked. They gave him the address.

A Different Kind of Peace

Garth booked a flight, drove to Whittaker’s house, and knocked on the door. When Whittaker answered, Garth simply said, “My name is Donald Garth Fisher.” Whittaker immediately understood the gravity of who was standing in front of him. And sure enough, he confirmed what the records had suggested: Garth’s father had survived the crash. He had been captured. The military had known, and they did nothing. They had time. They had information. They had a chance to act, and they didn’t. His father wasn’t just lost. He was left.

The search didn’t bring closure, but it brought clarity. The experience left him with something he’d carry into the rest of his life: an instinct to question, a refusal to accept easy answers, and the discipline to keep going when the path forward disappears.

Guided By Greats

Dr. Charles McCrae

The first time Garth walked into an operating room, he was wearing scrubs. Just not the kind you'd expect.

He was working as a janitor at a small hospital in Mississippi, paying his way through junior college. And actually, he wasn’t cleaning the operating room—he was watching a surgery.

The opportunity came from Dr. Charles McCrae, a general surgeon at the hospital. And not by coincidence, McCrae was the father of the girl Garth was dating. Maybe he figured if the kid was going to date his daughter, he deserved a shot at something better than cleaning floors. So he invited Garth to observe a gallbladder removal.

Garth stood inside the OR doors and felt something shift. It wasn’t just the medicine—it was the intensity, the focus, the clarity of purpose. For McCrae, it was a simple gesture. For Garth, it was the moment that redirected everything. He immediately switched majors and started down the pre-med track. It was the first small step toward a future that no one could have predicted.

Is it possible that Charles McCrae, a general surgeon in rural Mississippi, is responsible for the beauty of Beverly Hills?

Dr. Bruce Connell

If you trace back nearly every modern facelift technique, the line leads to Dr. Bruce Connell.

He wasn’t just a surgeon. He was a purist. Surgical elegance, anatomical precision, artistic restraint; Connell treated facial surgery like a philosophy. Garth studied under him during training, but “training” doesn’t quite cover it. Connell’s approach wasn’t something you simply adopted. It was something you absorbed.

Without Connell, Garth says, he wouldn’t be the surgeon he is today. The technique, the critical eye, the attention to form and flow—it all started here.

Dr. Edward S. Lamont

Before cosmetic surgery had polish, it had pioneers.

Dr. Edward Lamont trained in an era defined by resourcefulness. He drove cross-country to pick up new surgical techniques, performed operations in small hospitals, and charged fifty dollars for a rhinoplasty that came with a three-day hospital stay. His wild, hungry, and carefree attitude complemented Garth’s (slightly) more grounded sensibilities, adding to Garth’s arsenal of methods to approach life itself.

Dr. John Williams

A surgeon who shaped cultural memory.

Dr. John Williams performed Marilyn Monroe’s chin implant. He operated on Nancy Reagan. His patient roster read like a cultural time capsule, but his focus never drifted from the fundamentals: precision, restraint, and a legitimate understanding of what elevates a face. Garth trained with him briefly, but the experience stayed with him as a masterclass in restraint and precision.

Dr. Steven Hoefflin

The surgeon behind some of the most photographed faces in the world.

Dr. Steven Hoefflin graduated first in his class at UCLA Medical School in 1972 and became one of the most sought-after names in cosmetic surgery, with a clientele that included Michael Jackson, Elizabeth Taylor, and Joan Rivers.

Garth trained under him during a pivotal time in his development. Hoefflin’s mentorship wasn’t warm or nurturing—it was rigorous. It taught Garth to think five steps ahead in the OR, treating surgical outcomes less like private affairs, and more like public statements.

His Own Patients

Before the world asked for Garth Fisher, his patients asked first.

Garth studied with some of the all-time greats, but his greatest influence may still be with him today: his patients. While training taught him technique, his patients taught him to see. They arrived with a variety of requests that couldn’t be measured, quantified, or described in a textbook. This pushed Garth to develop his own vision for beauty–one that existed not in strict clinical terms, but in the simplicity of his personal taste and judgment. Over time, this vision would become the benchmark for those attuned to the highest standards of beauty. But its genesis came from his patients who, knowingly or not, asked for the real Garth Fisher to please stand up.

Into the Spotlight

The Naked Truth

Before the spotlight, Garth handed patients a flashlight.

In 2001, years before Extreme Makeover, Garth Fisher created The Naked Truth—a comprehensive video series designed to educate prospective plastic surgery patients. Spanning multiple volumes, the series delved into topics such as Botox, collagen treatments, chemical peels, resurfacing techniques, and anesthesia considerations. It provided viewers with detailed insights into various procedures, helping them understand what to expect and how to make informed decisions.

In hindsight, The Naked Truth marked the beginning of something bigger: a career-long push for transparency, education, and trust.

Watch the Naked Truth Series

Extreme Makeover

Silence doesn’t protect anyone. People were undergoing it. They just weren’t allowed to talk about it—not openly, not safely, not without judgment. That kind of silence doesn’t protect anyone. It prevents the free exchange of ideas, the ability to ask questions, and the right to make informed decisions.

Extreme Makeover changed that. Garth helped pull the conversation into the light—showing the why, the how, and the real outcomes. Patients could finally speak freely, think clearly, and pursue change on their own terms.

The Extreme Makeover Era

Larry King

A story worth sharing.

Garth appeared on Larry King Live twice—but their connection ran deeper. When Larry was compiling My Dad and Me, a book about father-son relationships, he asked Garth to contribute the story of his own father: the mystery, the loss, and the search that shaped his life. It’s one of the most personal things Garth has ever written.

That chapter became a small but powerful part of a larger conversation—one about identity, resilience, and what gets passed down.

“He was such a pioneer and icon in the broadcast world… an absolute authority on almost all subjects—especially sports. I was lucky to be on his show twice. The second time, I forgot my cufflinks and stapled my sleeves together. He never noticed. I made sure my wrists stayed out of sight.” — Garth Fisher

Read the full story from My Dad and Me

The Kardashians

Where influence meets trust.

Since 2009, Garth has been a trusted figure in the Kardashian orbit—a relationship that continues to this day. In a world where every detail is scrutinized, they’ve consistently turned to him for everything from delicate aesthetic work to high-stakes medical procedures.

You obviously don’t need us to explain who the Kardashians are. But just in case you’ve spent the last couple decades in a sensory deprivation tank, they’re a cultural juggernaut that makes the sun look like a reading lamp. So when they choose someone to be part of their inner circle, it’s not just flattering—it’s telling.

Garth is proud to be part of their story. And even prouder to have earned their trust.

Knighting

It’s Sir Garth Fisher to you.

In 2014, Garth was inducted into the Historic Order of Knighthood of Constantine the Great—an institution founded in 312 AD. Per Article 5 of the Order’s Constitution, candidates must demonstrate good moral and civil conduct, possess sufficient merit, and have provided meaningful service to their community or country.

It’s modestly worded, but the standards are eye-wateringly high. Put it this way: Garth only received the honor after over two decades of private practice in which he consistently, rigorously, and empirically demonstrated these qualities. So if you’d like to earn a similar honor, consider turning an entire industry on its head.

Loved by Patients. Ranked by Surgeons.

Awarded by Newsweek and Beyond

Garth’s patients choose him for his taste, his results, and a certain standard of beauty they know he’ll deliver. But while recognition from the public is one thing, recognition from other surgeons—the ones who know exactly what goes into the work—is another level entirely.

In Newsweek’s national peer surveys—published most recently in 2024—Garth has been ranked across every major surgical category: breast augmentation, facelift, rhinoplasty, liposuction, and eyelid surgery. He’s one of only a few surgeons nationwide to appear on every list, and one of just three in Beverly Hills to do it. In multiple years, he landed top-five placements in the country.

These weren’t marketing awards or press placements. They were votes cast by some of the toughest, most discerning critics imaginable: his competition.

Life Today

“I’m living a dream within a dream.”

Sierra and Neriah Fisher are Garth’s daughters—and, in his words, “the most important contribution I’ve made to this world.”

Neriah is a singer-songwriter with a growing catalog of emotionally honest pop music and a strong connection to her audience. Sierra, also a musician, graduated from USC’s Thornton School of Music, where she studied vocal performance and songwriting. They were raised in close partnership with their mother, Brooke Burke, and Garth values the strong, supportive relationship they all continue to share.

Their independence and creative drive speak for themselves. Garth is proud of their independence, their creativity, and the way they carry themselves in a world that doesn’t always reward authenticity.

Suelyn

Suelyn is Garth’s wife, his surgical first assist, and a globally published model… and not necessarily in that order. In the operating room, she brings precision, steadiness, and an intuitive sense of how Garth works. Outside of it, she maintains a modeling career with the same focus and professionalism. It’s a unique combination—but nothing about Suelyn is ordinary.

Born in New York City to Brazilian parents, she comes from a long line of military service members—her father, grandfathers, and great-grandfathers all served. That upbringing instilled in her a significant sense of discipline, purpose, and respect for those who serve. Whether she’s in the OR or on set, she carries that foundation with her.

Darkhorse Benefits

Darkhorse Benefits is a nonprofit dedicated to combating human trafficking and rescuing its victims—often through covert, high-risk operations carried out by former special operations forces. Its members operate quietly, often undercover, to rescue victims, disrupt trafficking operations, and provide lifelong support to those who’ve endured the unthinkable.

Garth and his family are proud supporters. Sierra and Neriah have taken part in recent events, and Suelyn’s connection runs even deeper. Raised in a military family, she grew up with enormous respect for those who serve, but her advocacy comes from experience, too. At age 12, while visiting Brazil, she narrowly escaped a trafficking attempt. It’s a story she’s shared publicly, and one that continues to shape how she shows up for the cause.

The Ones You Don’t See

While many of Garth’s clients live in the public eye, these do not. They move in circles most people never glimpse—where privacy is not a request, and reputation is built on discretion. They don’t come because of his name, or the headlines, or who he’s worked with before. They come because they’ve done the research, and they know he’s the one who gets it right.

What Comes Next

Garth’s still operating at the top of his game. Demand is high, the work is hands-on, and the standards haven’t budged. He’s more focused than ever on his patients, his family, and choosing carefully where his energy goes. As for what comes next? That part’s in motion. And like most things with Garth, you’ll know when it happens.