Millicent Kondracke Dies; Parkinson's Research Activist

[JI7]

she is the wife of Mort Kondracke from Fox News.


<Millicent Martinez Kondracke, 64, a psychotherapist whose struggle with Parkinson's disease was chronicled in a book by her journalist husband, died July 22 at her home in Washington of complications due to her illness.

Mrs. Kondracke, who counseled clients in private practice during the 1980s and 1990s and later turned to political activism to wrest medical research money from Congress, was the subject of the book "Saving Milly: Love, Politics and Parkinson's Disease" (2001).

In it, her husband, Roll Call executive editor Morton Kondracke quoted her testimony to the Senate Special Committee on Aging in 1995 about the ravages of the disease.

"I want to tell you that I live in fear every day that I won't be able to talk or walk, that I'll fall, that I'll be unable to move. I fear that my face will be frozen, that I won't be able to swallow. . . . I was never sick. I was always healthy. I didn't drink or smoke or eat too much. I exercised. But now I live in fear every single day of my life," she said. >

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A7662-2004Jul22.html

[checks-n-balances]

1. Although by no means am I a fan of Mort K. anymore, it is still sad and

it was admirable for him to have done the work that he did with her and for her. Let's hope that it, as well as stem cell research, will help the progress toward fighting the disease.

It is very sad to lose a spouse, especially after witnessing their suffering.

R.I.P., Millicent Kondracke.

[JI7]

3. i saw him on some show, maybe on cspan or fox news

but he was on promoting his book and he had video clips of home videos of him and his wife throughout the years from way back when they first married. she was really pretty. it was really sad seeing how she was so full of energy and so happy and then to think how she now couldn't do many of the things she did in life. i'm not a huge fan of mort either but you could tell he really did love her . and from the videos she loved him very much also.

[w4rma]

2. She was definitely the better half of that couple. RIP :( (nt)

[Yavin4]

4. Sorry, I Have No Sympathy For Mort. None

He openly advocates that people should vote for Bush on Faux News on a daily basis. He pushes for a president that's dead set against stem cell research, and Mort knows full well that such research would have helped his wife and thousands of other families in the same situation. Instead, he puts his pathetic career on Faux News and their pro-Bush agenda ahead of his wife and other suffering Americans.

Cheaney You Mort!

[dennis4868]

5. Agreed

:-)

[JI7]

6. is he supporting Bush ?

i didn't know he was. i can still feel sympathy for his losing a wife. but if he does call on people to support bush than that undermines whatever dedication he may claim to have to fight the disease his wife suffered from.

[Yavin4]

10. He's One of Brit Hume's "Yes" Men

Anything that Brit Hume says, Mort agrees with. It's sickening. He has no principles whatsoever.

[MaryBear]

7. These are two separate issues!

Mort has done MUCH to support awareness of and funding for research on Parkinson's Disease. I applaud and thank him for that.

His politics are a separate issue and even so with his point of view he has access to people who otherwise may not listen to him about PD.

Millie, he says in the book, was an avid liberal.

One needn't like Mort to appreciate his active participation in a search for funds and a cure.

Blessed be, Mort and Millie.

[Kool Kitty]

8. Well said, Grandma Bear.

I agree.

[MaryBear]

9. Thank you, Kool Kitty.

And to anyone who hasn't read the book -- do it, and then voice your opinion. Read SAVING MILLIE. And think a little about what you learn. This topic hits close to home for my family, and I challenge you all to read the book, then think, then comment. No offense intended.

[kskiska]

11. Andy Rooney's wife, Marge, died in May

and there was very little mention of it.

I'm sorry for Kondracke. I have to wonder whether he's for stem cell research.

[MaryBear]

13. Did Andy Rooney's wife have PD?

I wish he'd use his pulpit to bring discussion forward. PD needs all the attention it can get.

[Gloria]

12. My father died of Parkinsons at age 82 after having it for over 30 years..

Millie died relatively young. I remember Mort K before he went to FOX...sometimes I wonder if he did it for the money so he could pay medical bills. Because the amount of care for a late Parkinson's patient can be crippling and expensive. My mother took care of my father but certainly Kondracke needed to hire help while he was working...

I don't like what he has become, but he was devoted to his wife and knowing what she ...and he...went through, I have to give him some respect for that...

RIP Millie.