Michael Francis Najjar

On November 2, 2025, Dr. Michael Francis Najjar was called home by his Heavenly Father. Born in Bethesda, Maryland on September 29, 1962, to Hanna Francis Najjar originally from Iraq and Nohra Silva Najjar of Colombia, he was the first of five children.

Growing up in the suburbs of Washington, D.C., he worked as a paper boy delivering the Washington Star on bicycle and playing organized soccer for Braddock Road Youth Club. He had a passion for the outdoors and spent his childhood years with his siblings David Jonathan Najjar, Steven Benjamin Najjar, Julie Najjar Reasoner and Thomas Mathew Najjar exploring nature, enjoying wildlife, fishing and Boy Scouting, eventually earning the highest rank of Eagle Scout.

When his family moved to the Atlanta, Georgia suburb of Dunwoody in 1978, Michael enrolled in Dunwoody High School where he excelled academically and established his collective of friends, affectionately nicknamed “the screwballs”, who anchored him throughout his high school years camping and hiking in the North Georgia mountains, counseling youth at Boy Scout camp, going to rock concerts and working as a pizza delivery driver. In 1980, he entered the University of Georgia with the ambition of becoming a doctor. After a freshman year of academic success and a football National Championship, Michael took a sabbatical from college to work with his cousins in San Diego, California and learn the grocery and food business. During that time, he mastered karate, deepened his family roots with his cousins and gained an appreciation for the world and the need for higher education, which led him back to the University of Georgia in 1983. There, together with his brothers David and Steven, he spent the next three years completing his degree with Honors in English, discovering a love of music through the evolving Athens, Georgia music scene, and preparing himself for medical school.

In 1986, Michael entered The Medical College of Georgia in Augusta and joined his brother, David, a second-year medical student. The two leaned heavily on each other for strength as they labored through the rigors of medical school. Michael successfully graduated and earned an Anesthesiology residency at Providence Hospital in Detroit, Michigan where he had the support of a network of relatives. There, he met and later married Anne Armbruster, and the wedlock produced Michael’s greatest love, his children Sophia (Sophie) Anne Najjar and Nicholas (Nic) Alexander Najjar. After residency, Michael spent a year in Lexington, Kentucky, broadening his education and sharpening his medical skills by completing a one-year Fellowship in Interventional, Chronic and Acute Pain Management. He then began Advanced Pain Care, PC and carried on a successful medical practice in Chattanooga, Tennessee establishing a reputation as an accomplished Anesthesiologist with expertise and precision in alleviating chronic pain. He was widely sought after to speak and teach on methods and procedures to diagnose and treat pain, and he balanced his work life with hobbies in photography, mountain biking and travel. All the while, Michael devoted his time and energy toward his children raising them to love and appreciate nature, animals (he loved his Pug, “Peanut”), travel, music and the arts by teaching them adeptness at camping, hiking, fishing and mountain biking, seeing all parts of the world, attending concerts and music festivals, cheering on his Georgia Dawgs and living life to the fullest.

In them, he instilled family values and a love of God. In 2012, Michael was injured in a mountain biking accident that left him a quadriplegic. He never complained about his physical condition and served as the standard for inner strength, fortitude and hope to all who knew him. Over the past decade he overcame his disability by continuing to practice medicine as the Medical Director of Wellness First until his retirement in 2023. Easter 2025 marked a pivotal event in Michael’s life as his spiritual capacity grew and he committed himself to Christ, renewing his mind by transforming his thinking to align with God's Word and the Holy Spirit's guidance. He became more lively, increasingly compassionate and a shining example of perseverance even in the toughest circumstance. With the eternal love and support of his family, and especially of his earthly guardian angels, Judy Woodall, Dr. John and Laura Land, and Dr. Mark (Marcus) McLaughlin, Michael lived his remaining years with a gracious smile, a desire for Mellow Mushroom pizza, a curiosity for knowledge of the things of this world, and was reflective and thankful for his roots as a first generation American.

He had great pride in his parents who came to America as students and for the love, struggle and values they imparted, and above all, he felt completeness, fullness and satisfaction of joy for his most precious treasure, Sophie and Nic, who survive him. He is also survived by, and continues to live through, his parents Hanna and Nohra, his brothers David (Ronda), Steven (Kim), Thomas (Pam), his sister Julie (Kim), and his 12 nephews and nieces Dr. Christina (Ryan) Romano, Jonathan (Chelsea) Najjar, Sarah Najjar, Rachel Najjar, RN, Christian Najjar, DPT, Cole Najjar, Emma Najjar, Claire Najjar, Joshua Najjar, Juliet Najjar, Matthew Najjar and Samuel Najjar.

A Catholic Mass funeral will be held on Wednesday, November 26, 2025, at 11am ET at the Our Lady of Perpetual Help located at 501 South Moore Road in Chattanooga, Tennessee. https://olph.us/ with a reception to immediately follow.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Chattanooga Area Food Bank https://www.chattfoodbank.org/ or to McKamey Animal Shelter https://mckameyanimalcenter.org/

Please share your thoughts and memories of Michael at www.ChattanoogaEastChapel.com

Arrangements have been entrusted to Chattanooga Funeral Home East Chapel, 404 S. Moore Rd, East Ridge, TN 37412.