Faces of Impact
Sallie Asche


“With brain damage, there is a daily struggle just to do the smallest of tasks; you must struggle with the loss of independence every hour of every day. That is why we, as a couple, feel so strongly about this center. We believe with more long-term rehabilitation, daily applying new research breakthroughs and creating brain health awareness, the brain can and will repair itself in time.”

A staunch supporter of UT Dallas’ Center for Vital Longevity and founding member of its advisory council.

Longtime Dallas residents, Sallie and Frederic Asche were active members of the community, with Frederic serving on the board of directors for the Dallas Chamber of Commerce, secretary of the Dallas Sports Car Club of America and a lifetime member of the Safari Club of Dallas.

In 1997, Frederic, known as “Tex,” suffered a stroke at the age of 68.

“Our lives changed in a matter of minutes and would never again be the same,” Asche said. “It has been seven years since Tex’s stroke, and there still are major issues that must be faced every day, 24 hours a day.”

As a result, Ashe became more involved in UT Dallas’ Center for Vital Longevity, becoming a founding member of its advisory council and later becoming involved with the Center for BrainHealth when it opened in 1999.

In 2004, Asche and her husband made a $1.5 million gift to UT Dallas’ Center for BrainHealth to fund a new wing where scientists and clinicians work together to develop and provide cutting-edge treatment to victims of stroke and other brain injuries.

After her husband died in 2011, Asche lost her battle with leukemia five months later in 2012. To remember Asche after her death, her friends created the Sallie Asche Fund for Vital Aging to provide educational opportunities for emerging scientists by supporting their travel to CVL conferences and lectures such as the Dallas Aging and Cognition Conference.