Michael, Farrah, Karl, and Wilma

The past two weeks have been filled with tragedy.
We have the death of Farrah Fawcett and Michael Jackson, and most recently, Karl Malden.
On a personal level, my assistant, Wilma Winer passed away last week, which has left me in a state of mourning mixed with a daily dose of anguish every time I pass her desk.

Victoria, my other assistant, Wilma, and I shared the same room in the Beverly Hills Nourmand office. Now it’s Victoria and me.

Pate, a trusted colleague, has been wonderful over the past few days; he’s sat in the office with Victoria and me providing professional and emotional support as I figure out my next steps.

If anything were to go wrong in my life this year, I’d think that it would relate to the real estate market. After all, it’s a global financial crisis we’re in the midst of. I’m happy to report that business has been solid in ’09, so Wilma’s death couldn’t have shocked me more.

To add to the glum news, we have Madoff’s conviction. Vanity Fair’s coverage has been superlative. If you want to learn more about his victims, and they weren’t all rich and famous people, I encourage you to watch all seven videos. Below this entry you’ll see the intro video. Click here to see the rest; each profiles a different victim.

Here’s to a Fourth of July that honors the history of our nation. This year, I’ll reflect on the lives of great people, from celebrities to personal assistants, who flourish under the freedom that our country provides.

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