Dr. Ira Reiser Honored at Gotham Hall/Live from New York

Last night we entered Gotham Hall, a renovated bank at Herald Square which was beautiful, filled with people from all over the country and world who were there to honor our friend Ira who has been a nephrologist at Brookdale Hospital  for 30+ years.  What a great party: good food, great music and dancing, and funny speeches honoring Ira who has remained at a hospital and become the head of Medicine in one of the most underserved communities in Brooklyn.  Ira made mention that when he was a kid he saw a film about a rural doctor (Robert Mitchum)  and decided then that he wanted to devote his life that way.  And so Brownsville is lucky to have their own Robert Mitchum in Dr. Ira Reiser.  For those of you unfamiliar with NYC hoods, Brownsville has one of the highest crime rates, highest levels of unemployment, highest levels of illnesses related to poverty yet Brookdale Hospital is the #1 employer and provider of medical services in this community. Ira's children, Craig and Samantha, provided great anecdotal material about their Dad in their introductions.  Hats off to a great doctor and a great friend.