5 MINUTES


with DR. LAURA SCHLESSINGER


Saying Goodbye to Loyal, Loving Friend


O


n a recent morning, my best friend and business partner of 30 years called to tell me he was having a


panic attack. The reason he brought this


concern to me is that for quite a while in my middle adulthood, I dealt with panic attacks after my husband’s sudden death. However, what he described to


me was not a classic panic attack. I told him I believed he was having a “cardiac incident.” He called his concierge doctor,


who came to his home and administered an EKG which had alarming qualities. The doctor told him to go to the emergency room immediately. My friend said he had an


important meeting and would go later. I still wonder why the doctor didn’t call an ambulance. My friend then fibbed to me and


his wife about the results of the EKG. He said that it was fine except for a few small issues which could be dealt with next week. That evening, he and his wife went


to the theater, which they both loved, because his friend was producing the play and he wanted to support him. After the performance, they


walked into the lobby and his wife went to the ladies’ room. When she came back, her husband was on the floor with people pounding on his chest. He was already gone. She called me Friday to tell me


the news. At first, I was hysterical, and then angry: angry that he chose to ignore the doctor. I immediately called my son, who saw him as a surrogate dad, and told him what happened and how angry I was that he didn’t get medical treatment and


I am lucky to have had such a loyal, caring, loving, brilliant friend and partner.


One week later, we had the funeral


and reception with 100 invitees. I was the first of 10 to speak. I talked about how he and I first met. Two friends of his who sold sponsor time on radio programs sent him tapes of my local radio show and urged him to syndicate me.


might still be alive. My son told me, “Mom, he died


doing what he loved best (the theater) with the person he loved best (his wife). This couldn’t be more poetic and meaningful.” I stopped being angry. My son was


correct. This is the man who for 30 years


was my loyal, loving, wise friend (we spoke every day at 6 a.m.), and who is responsible for the success of my radio program.


He worked with music stations


and didn’t have interest in talk radio. The tapes piled up in his office. Finally, he asked one of his affiliate


reps to listen and give him a good reason to communicate “no” to his friends. She came back the next day and said, “I could not stop listening!” In demonstration of his integrity


and kindness, he flew from New York to Los Angeles to gently tell me in person “no” and “good luck.” My husband picked him up at


the airport and handed him phone messages from two stations who wanted my show. He took them and slipped them into his jacket pocket. When he came to my radio station,


KFI, he was at one end of the hall, I at the other. We saw each other, and as I bounced toward him, grinning widely, I jokingly asked, “How many stations do you have?” He hesitated, forgetting that he was there to politely deliver a “no,” and said, “Two!” I didn’t know that his original


intent was a refusal until years later. He said of the encounter, “I could feel her energy, and it seemed she was a force not to be denied.” That was my opening story to


point out that he was even nice when he didn’t know you or have anything to gain from you. I told the mourners that instead


of feeling horrible that he wasn’t here anymore, we should consider ourselves lucky for the time we did have. I am lucky to have had such a loyal,


caring, loving, brilliant friend and partner. Every 6 a.m., I say hi and tell him I love him. The man is Geoff Rich.


Listen to Dr. Laura on SiriusXM Channel 111, Mon.–Sat. 2–6pm ET, Sun. 5–9pm ET.


MAY 2026 | NEWSMAX MAXLIFE 73


DR LAURA/FACEBOOK


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