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Staff Writer
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American Heart
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Fighting Heart Disease
and Stroke
12/22
2000
118
Medical miracles
start with research
7
he fairy-tale marriage
of Richard and Karen
Cohen Tessler lasted
just over a year.
But, in many ways, it was the
happiest year of their lives.
Best friends who'd lost touch
after graduating from Oak Park
High School in 1966, the two re-
established that friendship at their
30-year high-school reunion in
1996. Within the next year, both
Richard, who lived in California,
and Karen, who had remained in
Richard Tessler
Michigan, communicated long
distance. Their friendship grew
into love, and they were married
who sent him immediately to his fam-
Oct. 16, 1999. An article about their
ily doctor. A California neurologist
romance and subsequent Las Vegas
detected a brain tumor and Richard
wedding soon appeared in the Mazel
and Karen returned to Detroit for his
Toy! section of the Jewish News.
first surgery, performed Nov. 1, 1999,
They were together nearly every
at Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit.
hour of every day until Dec. 10, 2000,
The eventual diagnosis was a glioblas-
when Richard, 52, died of brain cancer.
toma sarcoma. Doctors gave him one
A vivacious and generous man, he
to five years to live.
had co-owned a successful distributor-
There were the pain-free months
ship, Advantage Merchandise in San
and the traumas of multiple surgeries.
Diego, Calif , which specializes in
The couple recently moved from
California to Michigan for the support
toys, school supplies and other prod-
ucts sold in drug and discount stores.
of family and friends, and to be closer
About three years ago, he sold the dis-
to Dr. Mark Rosenblum, the Henry
tributorship and went to work for the
Ford Hospital surgeon they had
company.
picked because of his work with the
"We were so close," Karen said.
late Ambassador David B. Hermelin.
"We never had a fight in four years.
"Richard felt that every day he
"He said to me, 'If this had to hap-
woke up with Karen next to him was
pen, my comfort is, I found you again."'
a blessing," said Karen's sister, Gail
The disease that took Richard
Zimmerman. "She felt blessed by
Tessler's life was discovered immedi-
Richard's all-encompassing love and
ately after the pair returned to
friendship."
Richard's California home from their
Barbara and Michael Alpert of
honeymoon.
Farmington Hills, Karen's friends for
"We came home a day early
25 years, had attended the Tesslers'
because he didn't feel well," his wife
wedding and took them back to Las
said. "We had a car accident and he
Vegas to celebrate not only their one-
thought it was his new glasses."
year anniversary, but Richard's life.
He visited his ophthalmologist,
"He ran with us, he shopped with us,
he schlepped with us from morning '61
night," Barbara said. "A couple of nights
they stayed up later than we did."
Alpert said she has never seen a
couple so much in love.
"Being with them was magical," she
said. "They had so much to look for-
ward to. "
During the last week of Richard
Tessler's life, his wife never left his
side. Richard wanted to die at home
surrounded and cared for by family
and friends. He did that with the help
of Hospice of Michigan. Among those
spending long hours at his bedside
were Richard's brother and sister-in-
law, Paul and Psylvia Tessler of
Arizona. He was able to say good-bye
to Karen and his sons, Brandon and
Adam, of California, with a kiss and
an "I love you."
"I have never seen anyone so
brave," Alpert said.
"He always thought he would be
the miracle," said his wife. "He never
asked, 'Why me?' He never lost his
hope or his sense of humor.
"I'll always treasure all the letters
and cards we received during the past
year from friends and co-workers, let-
ting Richard know how much of a dif-
ference he had made in their lives."
Richard Tessler is survived by his
beloved wife, Karen Cohen Tessler of
West Bloomfield; sons, Brandon
Tessler and Adam Tessler, both of San
Diego, Brad Cohen of Farmington
Hills; daughter, Samantha Cohen of
Farmington Hills; brother and sister-
in-law, Paul and Psylvia Tessler of
Flagstaff, Az.; mother-in-law, Eleanor
Dorfman of West Bloomfield; sister-
in-law and brother-in-law, Gail and
Lonny Zimmerman of Huntington
Woods; aunt and uncle, Dorothy and
Frank Tessler of Bloomfield Hills. He
was the son of the late Albert and
Frances Tessler.
Interment was at Clover Hill Park
Cemetery, Birmingham. Contributions
may be made to the David B. Hermelin
Brain Tumor Center, do Henry Ford
Hospital, 2799 West Grand Blvd.,
Detroit, MI 48202 or to Hospice of
Michigan, 16250 Northland Dr.,
Southfield, MI 48075. Arrangements
by Dorfman Funeral Direction. ❑
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