I just learned that my beloved LLMD, Dr. Gerald Weiss, was killed last night by a drunk driver when he was hit from behind while riding his bicycle at 9:45 pm.
I was with Dr. Weiss for three years. He was not only an LLMD, but also a neurologist. He is the one doctor who saved me in many ways. He diagnosed me with two diseases that no one else would have ever picked up on: small fiber neuropathy and myasthenia gravis, and got me on IVIG. If it weren't for him, I would have absolutely no quality of life. He also diagnosed me with Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever. He was relentess with his neverending testing, which seemed like a lot of work, but he found things that needed to be treated and I am so much better for it.
I am absolutely devastated and heartbroken. In the three years I was with Dr. Weiss before he relocated to California one year ago, my husband and I became very close to him. He was a wonderful, caring man. I was bereft when he moved, and I can't believe he is no longer with us. When he left, I refused to say goodbye, but only to say "I'll see you again, because I guarantee I'll come out to CA and see you."
He was an incredibly brilliant, gifted neurologist and one of the best Lyme doctors this world has ever seen. This is an immense tragedy.
Posted by Carol in PA (Member # 5338) on :
Oh, that's awful.
It sounds like he was able to help many people.
Posted by Tammy N. (Member # 26835) on :
Oh how sad. I am so sorry to hear of this loss... for you and for all those he helped. God rest his soul. What a sad sad tragedy. So sorry to hear of his passing.
Posted by poppy (Member # 5355) on :
There are so few of the good ones, it is a tragedy to lose one. Why do the bad guys seem to live forever?
Posted by seibertneurolyme (Member # 6416) on :
Tracy,
Thanks for posting.
Dr W was the one who added the IV zithromax to hubby's IV rocephin and that combo was one of the best things he ever did treatment wise. The doc actually spent about 5 hours at hubby's one in person appointment taking a very thorough history.
I think he was the most thorough neurologist hubby ever saw. He had trained under the Dr B and was definitely lyme literate although maybe not the most advanced as far as coinfections go.
We also hated to see him move to California.
Senseless tragedies like this are always so hard to understand.
Bea Seibert
Posted by Lymetoo (Member # 743) on :
Wow, how very tragic. Posted by momindeep (Member # 7618) on :
Very, very sorry for you Tracy.
Posted by nonna05 (Member # 33557) on :
Our hearts and prayers go out to you and his family.... Posted by js8 (Member # 37715) on :
How heartbreaking! Many prayers going up for his family and all those who he has and was currently helping.
Posted by Tracy9 (Member # 7521) on :
Bea, not sure when your hubby saw him; he seemed to have gotten pretty good at coinfections when I saw him. He diagnosed two in me, Erlichiosis and RMSF that 3 previous LLMDs had missed.
In talking to the former patient of his that informed me of his death, I must say that like her, I will be forever grateful to have been his patient and to have been treated by him. I can't imagine where I would be today without him. I am grateful for all the patients whose lives he was able to touch, and for the time we were able to spend with him and get to know him.
I am absolutely in shock....it's just so beyond unfair. Dr. Weiss was a kind, gentle, vulnerable type of person who had been taken advantage of a lot and had some really bad stuff happen to him here in CT. Much of that is why he moved to CA. We talked about that every time I saw him and we tried to give him a lot of support and encouragement. Just knowing how hurt he was by people that had scammed him professionally (which is all public knowledge and was national news) and all he went through because of it....to think his life had to end this way? He moved to CA to get away from all that had gone down in CT.
My heart breaks for him and his family. He was so hopeful about starting over out there. He was a great person. I am in total shock.
Posted by lymielauren28 (Member # 13742) on :
So sorry to hear this:( My prayers go out to him and his family.
Posted by seibertneurolyme (Member # 6416) on :
Tracy,
I meant no disrespect to Dr W. He was definitely the best neurologist hubby has seen -- and he has seen at least 25 or 30 in the last 11 years.
My comment about coinfections was based primarily on the fact that when hubby saw him he did not know what the drug coartem was.
We did have some issues with the doctor's staff but not the doc himself. The staff messed up and could not get a brain SPECT scan approved for hubby because they filed incorrect information saying he had had a stroke (which is specifically listed as a reason NOT to do a SPECT -- there are better tests for that condition).
Bea Seibert
Posted by Tracy9 (Member # 7521) on :
I know, Bea, I didn't take it that way! I understand, coartem is a newer drug and he may not have been that "up" on newer stuff as he was a neurologist and probably didn't have his finger on the pulse of all the new Lyme stuff as much. However he was right on top of Tygacil when it came out, and was one of the first docs to use it. My current LLMD probably doesn't know what Coartem is either. He's never mentioned it. I've only heard about it from other people.
OMGosh his staff was horrible!!! They were downright abusive to him. That's what his legal issues were....his former nurse stole tens of thousands of dollars from him and went to jail eventually. He was severely traumatized by the whole thing and it was one of the main reasons he moved to California. That's why I always felt so bad for him; his staff treated him like crap. He got walked all over. I once told him finally he shouldn't let his staff talk to him that way.
He was a really kind man....like I said, very vulnerable....it just makes the fact that he got picked off on a bicycle and killed so freaking tragic....because geesh, the guy couldn't catch a break. Everyone was always taking advantage of him and he didn't even see it.
What a brilliant mind. He was a true genius, he was so smart. I think he was so looking forward to starting over in CA. He was so excited about leaving all the legal crap behind him, going to work at a new hospital and opening up a new practice, leaving CT and all the bad memories. I'm just so, so sad. He did not deserve this. The world needed this man. He deserved happiness and to start being able to live life out from under all that he'd been struggling with.
Posted by poppy (Member # 5355) on :
There is no justice.
Posted by Tracy9 (Member # 7521) on :
Bicyclist Gerald Weiss Struck And Killed By Drunk Driver
June 3, 2012
Palm Desert � Palm Desert resident was killed on Saturday when struck by a drunk driver while riding his bicycle.
The accident happened at 9:45 p.m. on West Waring Drive, east of Bryson Court in Indian Wells. Weiss was riding his bicycle when he was struck from behind by 24 year old La Quinta resident, Christopher Eugene Stockman. Stockman was driving a 2003 Chrysler Sebring at the time and was reportedly drunk driving at the time of the accident. Stockman was arrested and booked into the Indio jail. His court date is scheduled for Wednesday.
Weiss, who was only 52 years old, was pronounced dead at the scene.
Posted by healthywealthywise (Member # 8595) on :
I hope, after all his issues, he is at peace now. So sad..he sounded like a great guy.
Posted by debilyn (Member # 35753) on :
Oh, I feel so badly for his family, friends and patients. Such a tragedy Posted by Rumigirl (Member # 15091) on :
I am in shock, too. I was a patient of his for a little over a year, right before he left for CA. I was really upset to lose him. But this is so incomprehensible and sad.
There were only 3 LL neuro's in the world that I know of, and he was the only one that was really LL. So to lose him, is a great loss.
As Tracy said, he truly cared and was compassionate. I begged him not to move. He was not replaceable, unfortunately. I've been struggling to find a replacement, and I have to cobble together something from one doc and something from another one or two docs, and even then am having trouble.
I keep thinking about his wife and kids, who must be anguished beyond words now. And all this because someone wanted to drink and drive??!! Unreal. That young man has a lot to think about.
Bea, that is so telling that he spent 5 hours with your hubby. I know that other LLMD's do, too, sometimes. But for a neuro, that is unheard of. He always spent a lot of time with people (and was almost always running late!).
Yes, his staff left a lot to be desired. Right now that seems like small potatoes.
I just can't believe it---that his life could be cut short like that by a stupid decision on someone else's part.
Posted by Robin123 (Member # 9197) on :
This is very sad. Thanks for sharing about him, everyone -
Posted by nefferdun (Member # 20157) on :
This is tragic for everyone. My heart goes out to everyone but especially his family.
Posted by Tracy9 (Member # 7521) on :
I am glad to see this update, where finally he is getting some recognition for who he was. It hurts me to see him as just a name and statistic. Other than this, still nothing in the news about who he was.
Update: Cyclist killed in Indian Wells DUI was bi-coastal neurologist and Lyme Disease specialist A 52-year old cyclist was killed by an alleged drunk driver in Indian Wells Saturday night.
According to numerous reports, Palm Desert resident Gerald Weiss was riding westbound on Fred Waring Drive south of Cook Street around 9:45 pm when he was hit from behind by a car driven by 24-year old Christopher Eugene Stocman of La Quinta.
Stocman, who stayed at the scene, was arrested on suspicion of DUI and vehicular manslaughter.
This is the 21st cycling fatality in Southern California this year, and the fifth already this year in Riverside County.
No further information is available at this time. Anyone with information is urged to call the Indian Wells Police Department Traffic Bureau at 760/836-1600.
This is the 21st cycling fatality in Southern California this year, and the fifth in Riverside County.
My deepest sympathy to Weiss and his family.
Update: According to a comment from Tracy Will, Gerald Weiss was a leading neurologist specializing in the treatment of Lyme Disease.
Dr. Gerald Weiss was a world renowned neurologist and Lyme Disease specialist. People traveled all over the country to seek his expertise. Not only does he leave behind many grieving patients, he leaves behind two young sons and a wife. This is an unimaginable tragedy. I am shattered at this news and in total shock.
A Google search reveals a neurologist named Gerald Brett Weiss M.D. with a practice in La Quinta � less than five miles from the site where Weiss was killed � as well as a practice in Norwalk CT. Dr. Weiss as on the staff of JFK Memorial Hospital in Indio, with a former specialty in Lyme Disease.
Unfortunately, there has been no follow-up from the local press providing any additional information on Dr. Weiss or how the collision occurred. Maybe they�ll get around to it now that the weekend is over.
Posted by cocowyo (Member # 36286) on :
What a terrible loss.
My deepest condolences to his family and those of you who knew him.
Posted by JunkYardWily (Member # 24271) on :
wow, what a terrible blow to the lyme community.
feel bad for his family/friends/patients
Posted by Rumigirl (Member # 15091) on :
I tried twice to leave comments on the website of the newspaper. I have no idea why it won't post. I, too, was shocked that the article in the paper only had him listed as a bicyclist and his name, not even that he was a dr. But when it happened, they didn't even know who it was (I guess he had no ID on him), so I guess it's taking some time for people to get updated.
What a tragedy. And all because a young guy wanted to drink and drive??!! Stunning.
Posted by Catgirl (Member # 31149) on :
What a shame. What a waste of a good soul.
Posted by canbravelyme (Member # 9785) on :
I will definitely be sending a card.
I'd just seen him a couple of weeks ago in Palm Desert - there is no one else who knows what he did. I'd not seen him in three years prior - and Bea - if you're still reading this - he had really become truly superior.
I am now neurologist-less and somewhat shook up, frankly.
Posted by Rumigirl (Member # 15091) on :
Is it ok to post the family's home address here?? I have his office address, which might be better in terms of privacy for the family. I definitely think that cards would be good, just have this concern, considering that the family didn't give permission to post their address.
Posted by canbravelyme (Member # 9785) on :
When I spoke with Elizabeth, his secretary, today, she told me to send a card to their office.
I agree with Rumi - best to remove Dr. Weiss' home address.
Posted by sixgoofykids (Member # 11141) on :
I removed the personal information. Will someone please post the office address so cards can be sent there?
Posted by canbravelyme (Member # 9785) on :
address below
[ 06-05-2012, 04:11 PM: Message edited by: Lymetoo ]
Posted by LymeCFIDSMCS (Member # 13573) on :
He sounds like an absolute gem, and someone with a life well spent -- which I hope his family can be so proud of even as they endure the grief of losing him.
We all know this level of compassion can be a rarity in the world of Lyme, especially amongst specialists like those in the field of neurology. What a loss for the Lyme community.
Posted by migs (Member # 16496) on :
Brutal. Terrible news.
Posted by Rumigirl (Member # 15091) on :
Small correction to his office address, I have: 47-050 Washington St, Suite 4202 La Quinta California 92253
Thanks, six, for correcting that, and canbrave for posting it. I'm sorry that you lost your neuro!! Still reeling from the news.
Posted by Tracy9 (Member # 7521) on :
Sorry...I only posted his home address because it is publicly listed. I would not have posted it if I had gotten it from a personal source. But thank you canbravelyme for clarifying that with his office.
Any word on how the family is holding up when you spoke with the office?
Posted by Rumigirl (Member # 15091) on :
I don't know that, but I can only imagine . . . ANd to boot, their family and friends are in CT and the east coast, so that is all the harder. Just plain devastating.
There WAS no LL neuro like him, and now there isn't. On top of everything else, he was a "real person" with you, which is kind of rare for a dr or a neuro.
Posted by sixgoofykids (Member # 11141) on :
Yeah, I thought if that when I removed it, Tracy, but since his wife's last name was different from his, I didn't think the general public would be able to find that info from a White Pages search. Posted by Tracy9 (Member # 7521) on :
Good thinking. I didn't even look under him, since cards would be addressed to her.
It is so devastating. I have barely been able to eat or sleep since I got the news. Canlyme, I can't believe you just saw him. And yes, he was very much a real person. He shared a lot of himself with you once you got to know him.
I really am still in shock.
Posted by sparkle7 (Member # 10397) on :
I'm sorry this happened. It's a shame. All the best to you, Tracy, & his loved ones. It's a loss for the Lyme community.
Posted by imagine2 (Member # 3136) on :
Such a terrible blow!! I'm so very sorry, Tracy, for you, his family, and and the entire lyme community!!
Posted by glm1111 (Member # 16556) on :
Tracy,
I have been reading all the posts here and I just want to add that I am so very sorry that this happened to such a wonderful man, and great doctor.
Sorry you are in such pain over this loss. It's always hard to wrap thoughts around this happening to good people.
My deepest sympathy for you, his children and his family.
Gael
Posted by poppy (Member # 5355) on :
Tracy, do you think it would be appropriate to take up a collection for flowers, if the funeral date is known? Seems that someone like this ought to get recognized by the lyme community for the work he has done to help us.
Or, maybe contributions to ILADS in his memory?
Posted by canbravelyme (Member # 9785) on :
Poppy, I think both sending flowers as well as contributions to ILADS is a great idea - I like the flowers in addition to the donations, as they are a tangible thank you to the family. Any ideas on how we can do a collection?
Posted by Tracy9 (Member # 7521) on :
I think that's a wonderful idea! As of today, I still don't see any obituary; however we could send flowers to the home. I would be willing to collect the money and send the flowers if no one else wants to do it. I have a paypal address. Suggestions on how to sign the card would be great.
My paypal is [email protected] and please write for "flowers" in the memo because I also sell Lyme tshirts to try and raise a little money for treatment, plus it's the time of year that we are raising our annual fees for Lyme Friends. As long as it is put in the memo I'm all set. Also if you click on "personal" they won't take fees out.
It would be nice to do this, great idea.
Posted by Robin123 (Member # 9197) on :
I think it would be nice for patients to send cards to the family letting them know how valuable the doctor was to them - tribute statements -
Posted by poppy (Member # 5355) on :
Tracy, I have sent a card, but would like to send you a check, to be used either for flowers or a donation to ILADS. Your choice, since the time may be too short for funeral flowers.
Don't have a paypal account, so I will email you for a physical address to send the check.
Thanks for doing this. I didn't know him but feel the lyme community owes doctors like this a great debt and we have so few ways to show our appreciation.
I wonder if a new thread should be started for this because people may not think to read the latest posts on this one, and doing something makes everyone feel better. Every time I see the title of this thread, it is like a punch in the stomach. And it hurts. So maybe redirect the focus to what we can do about it.
[ 06-07-2012, 09:46 AM: Message edited by: poppy ]
Posted by Tracy9 (Member # 7521) on :
My address is:
436 Turnpike Road Ashford, CT 06278
I have already gotten some small donations via Paypal so hopefully we will get enough to send his family something nice. I will put in $25 myself.
Thank you so much.
Posted by Tracy9 (Member # 7521) on :
Oh I just read your post about a new thread. I agree.
Posted by canbravelyme (Member # 9785) on :
I would have sent more, but that's all there was in my PayPal account at short notice. Hope we'll get enough for some decent flowers!
Tracy: Thanks for doing this Posted by Tracy9 (Member # 7521) on :
Thanks for contributing; it's fine. If we get a few people to kick in, we'll be able to send something nice. It doesn't take that many. I see BettyG has posted it in MD Junction as well. Thanks, Betty!
Posted by LAXlover (Member # 25518) on :
I'm so sorry for the loss of this gentleman that helped so many suffering with Lyme and co. My condolences to those of you who knew him personally and to his young sons, wife, and family. So very, very sad.
-LAXlover
Posted by LAXlover (Member # 25518) on :
I'm so sorry for the loss of this gentleman that helped so many suffering with Lyme and co. My condolences to those of you who knew him personally and to his young sons, wife, and family. So very, very sad.
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