[2][4] During his undergraduate career, Willerson helped UT capture the 400-yard freestyle relay championship at the 1961 Southwest Conference meet and was a three-year letterman.

[3] Willerson remained connected to UT and joined George Smith as an assistant coach of the San Antonio Aquatic Club.

[2] In 1972, Willerson was recruited to UT Southwestern Medical School Faculty and Parkland Hospital in Dallas to help build their nascent cardiology programs.

[3] Immediately upon arrival, Willerson stated his goal to establish the Institute of Molecular Medicine for the Prevention of Human Diseases in Houston’s Texas Medical Center.

[8] While serving in the role of Chairman, Willerson was named to the American Clinical and Climatological Association alongside Don W. Powell[9] and elected a Member of the Institute of Medicine of the National Academy of Sciences.

[10] Upon stepping down from the position, he was named President Emeritus of Texas Heart Institute where he was expected to "share THI’s advances and vision for the future of cardiovascular discovery.