Valley Humane Society on Monday announced its plans to open a brand-new veterinary surgery center in early 2022, honoring Phil Scholz, a Pleasanton resident who died in 2014 while rescuing another man from an oncoming train.

The new Pleasanton facility -- to be formally named the Phil Scholz Veterinary Surgery Center -- will offer local pets non-emergency services regardless of their family’s financial constraints, Valley Humane Society officials said in a statement.

"Our pets are part of the family, and addressing the lack of affordable, accessible veterinary care within the community is a key factor in creating healthy families," Executive Director Melanie Sadek said.

The surgery center will be located downtown at 120 Spring St., approximately one mile from the nonprofit's headquarters at 3670 Nevada St.

Scholz and wife Emily were both animal lovers and had four rescue pets together. Emily started as a volunteer at Valley Humane Society and joined the staff as the adoption and foster manager in November 2014, which is the position she still holds with the nonprofit today.

"It's heartwarming to have so many people care for and contribute to Phil's legacy and, together, make such a meaningful impact to a cause that meant so much to him," Emily Scholz said.

Prior to his death, Phil Scholz worked for Santa Clara-based computer graphics company, Nvidia. It was during his commute home from work on Jan. 20, 2014, when Phil sprung into action to help a man on the ACE train tracks in Santa Clara.

An oncoming train struck both men. Scholz, 35, was killed while the other man -- who had been attempting suicide on the tracks that day -- was hospitalized but recovered.

Current Nvidia employees, along with family, friends and others who knew Scholz, raised $634,000 for the new veterinary surgery center in Pleasanton that will bear his name.

Nvidia employees were challenged to a fundraising goal of $500,000, which was exceeded thanks to matching grants of eligible gifts from the company’s giving foundation, significant participation from executive staff and a generous match of employee donations from founder Jensen Huang and his wife, Lori, according to Valley Humane Society. The organization still needs to raise an additional $500,000 to satisfy the project budget.

Upon opening, Valley Humane Society’s Phil Scholz Veterinary Surgery Center will offer one-time procedures, leaving wellness visits, routine veterinary care and emergency services to other providers, officials said. More information about the project is available here.