Dr. Yale Nemerson 1931 - 2009

It is with great sadness that we announce that Yale Nemerson died suddenly early this evening. The turn of events caught us all off guard as Dad had been gaining strength during his rehab in Baltimore. At lunch time he had a long and philosophical conversation with David and later by phone with Vivienne about the prospects for his recovery and how he might adjust to the new circumstances of living with the limitations imposed by his recent illness.

The precise circumstances surrounding his death are not clear, but are probably related to the strain on his heart and lungs from the serious pneumonia of early this January. Yale's children wish to thank the many friends, doctors, nurses and helpers who comforted him during his six week fight against a tough disease.

Among Dad's last words to David over a long lunch were his satisfaction with having lived a good and satisfying life; having contributed to mankind through his research and leaving behind a strong and good family. He expressed no regrets and was looking forward, if possible to moving back to New York following his recovery.


Yale was born in The Bronx on December 15, 1931, the only child of Joseph Nemerson and Ciel Bandes. He grew up to be a champion tennis player and scholar at Bronx High School for Science, and even spent a semester as a tennis recruit at Tulane University before transferring to Bard College in Stratford-on-Hudson. There, while rooming with future actor Larry Hagman, he developed an interest in philosophy and psychology.

After taking time to travel and join the family real estate business, Yale decided to go to NYU medical school, first to be a psychiatrist and then, becoming curious after developing a bleeding disorder himself, he choose his life's passion, hematology. His internship at Lenox Hill Hospital and residency at Montefiore Medical Center led him in the direction of the laboratory and pure science where he would spend the next 44 years uncovering the inner workings of blood clotting and becoming one of the first great explorers of the role of tissue factor in this complex set of reactions.

Yale married Vivienne Black in 1957, raising her son, Matthew and together they had Andrea and David. He joined the Yale Medical faculty in 1964 and quickly rose to become a young full professor. His work on understanding the role and working of tissue factor in the 1960s - discovered through his work with a small heard of cows in a town near New Haven - proved to be a breakthrough that altered the way the fundamental mechanisms of blood clotting were regarded by the rest of the world.

As his research partner at Yale, and his friend and collaborator for decades afterward, Dr. William Konigsberg of Yale University has often noted, "from that time on Yale was 'Dr. Clot' for most of the world's hematologists."

In 1975 Yale and Vivienne divorced and he moved to Stony Brook University to build what he hoped would be one of the premier hematology departments in the world.

Budget cuts throughout New York State scuttled plans for the Long Island school's immediate expansion and he then moved to Mt Sinai Medical School in 1977, buying a Park Avenue penthouse and marrying Andrea Buchman. Yale soon established himself into the life of a New York City medical leader, a globe trotting in demand speaker on hematological issues and a mentor to scientists at home and abroad. Yale and Andy purchased a weekend home in Great Barrington and his love of the Berkshires would remain for the rest of his life.

Yale married Muriel Haim, a senior pharmaceutical executive in 1993 and then chaired the International Society of Thrombosis and Haemostasis Congress in New York that year and also chaired the society's board of directors. In 2000, this marriage also ended.

Throughout his marriages, Yale remained close to his children and his grandchildren and together they shared a set of houses in the Berkshires where they spent many holidays. He also remained close to his former wife Vivienne and her husband William Goodman.

In addition to his children, Yale is survived by his five grandchildren, two daughters in-law and one son-in-law. They are Matthew and Marian Chertow's Elana and Joy, Andrea and Kenton Hoover's Avram and Lilah and David and Cindy Freeman's Arlo.

A service for Yale Nemerson is planned for 2:00 PM Sunday, February 15, 2009 in his apartment in lower Manhattan at 145 Nassau Street, near City Hall. Contributions in Yale's name to the American Heart Association (https://donate.americanheart.org/ecommerce/donation/acknowledgement_info.jsp;jsessionid=TMBY5W0X352WYCQFCU1SCAQ?campaignId=&site=Heart&itemId=prod20007)would be a meaningful acknowledgment of a life well lived in the service of science and a better understanding of the workings of the human body or to the Metropolitan Opera (http://www.metoperafamily.org/metopera/support/gifts/memorial.aspx), one of Yale's great passions. Please call 203 444-6482 for more information.

Progress Today in Baltmore

Sorry for the long delay between posts, but we have been trying to settle back into some sort of a routine around here. Yale got to Hopkins Bayview rehab last Monday (2/2). They had him in a rather unprivate observation suite for a couple of days and then moved him to a private room, but still on the vent/trach floor (although he had neither).

Yesterday, he got to moved "downstairs" to the true rehab floor. I haven't seen it yet, but I gather that it is much less medicalized, populated by much less sick folk and has better amenities like a buffet style dining room, large-screen TV lounge etc. I'll be over there later today.

Prior to the move, we had an impressive meeting with dad's entire care team - at least 10 people including the attending physician, PT and OT therapists, PAs (physician assistants), social workers and patient care advocates. It went very well and they were all pleased and surprised at dad's capacity for, and pace of, recovery. That being said, they all reiterated that this was quite a blow, and that he still had several weeks of work ahead just to get up and about. They also said that the pneumonia had taken a toll on his lungs and that his respiratory function will be a continuing issue.

Cindy (my wife) and I are currently looking at options for Yale to stay in Baltimore for at least a while longer after he is done with residential rehab, as he doesn't, at least at the moment, feel like going back to living alone in his apartment in the City.

I have received many emails recently expressing well wishes for my dad. Thanks again, for everyone's care and concern.

David

Welcome to Baltimore!

Yale arrived yesterday at Hopkins Bayview Care Center, via medical transport, from New York Downtown. He pronounced the ride "lousy": bad springs, bumpy, noisy and cold. But he made it with no real problems.

For now, he is in an intake/observation suite that is rather open and lacking in privacy. Hopefully, today, the staff will remove his trach altogether, and after a day or two of observation, he can move to a real room. He is breathing fine and just on a bit of supplimental O2 thru the nose, so it would seem it is time to lose the trach.

Then begins the hard work of rebuilding a lot of lost strength and muscle mass. Yesterday, he polished off the bacon cheeseburger and chocolate cake I brought. Today, he made short work of a pastrami sandwich and rice pudding. Hey, when you lose 20 pounds of muscle, dieting is NOT on the agenda.

We are happy to have him in town and look forward to a steady upward trajectory from here.