93-year-old widow donates late husband's $1 billion to cover school tuition for NYC's poorest area forever
Dr. Ruth L. Gottesman's husband passed away in 2022, but the late 96-year-old left behind more than just memories for her.
Her husband, David Gottesman, was a Wall Street financier and made early investments in Berkshire Hathaway - an American multinational conglomerate holding company.
Following his death, Ruth learnt that he had a staggering $1 billion in stocks and simply told her to 'do whatever you think is right with it'.
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But, rather than book a year-long trip to the Bahamas, Ruth has decided to donate all the money to a good cause.
The money has been given to Albert Einstein College of Medicine in the Bronx; New York's poorest borough.
The donation marks the largest ever made to any medical school in the country.
Ruth used to work at the well-regarded medical school and started as director of psychoeducational services in 1968, The New York Times reports.
While she's now retired, Ruth - a clinical professor emerita of pediatrics - still acts as the chair of trustees for the school.
Speaking to the news outlet, the 93-year-old said she was unaware of the large sum of money her late husband had squirrelled away.
"He left me, unbeknownst to me, a whole portfolio of Berkshire Hathaway stock," she said.
With her huge donation, current fourth-year students will be reimbursed for the spring 2024 semester, while all those starting in the fall will have free tuition form then onwards.
Albert Einstein College of Medicine's tuition is more than $59,000 a year.
Gushing about those who study at Einstein, Ruth said: "We have terrific medical students, but this will open it up for many other students whose economic status is such that they wouldn’t even think about going to medical school."
"That’s what makes me very happy about this gift," she added.
There are said to be 1,070 students studying at Einstein at the moment, as well as an additional 239 research fellows.
Dr. Yaron Tomer, the Marilyn and Stanley Katz Dean at Albert Einstein College of Medicine, has since said in a statement that Ruth's donation 'radically revolutionizes our ability to continue attracting students who are committed to our mission'.
He continued, as per CBS News: "We will be reminded of the legacy this historic gift represents each spring as we send another diverse class of physicians out across the Bronx and around the world to provide compassionate care and transform their communities."
I think we can all agree that Ruth is the definition of a good samaritan.
Niamh Shackleton