Dr. Ruth Westheimer, renowned sex therapist who rose to fame nationwide for having blunt and honest conversations around physical intimacy, has died. She was 96.
The Holocaust survivor died “peacefully” in her New York City home July 12, Westheimer’s publicist, Pierre Lehu, shared in a statement from her family.
“The children of Dr. Ruth K. Westheimer are sad to announce the passing of their mother, the internationally-celebrated sex therapist, author, talk show host, professor, and orphan of the Holocaust,” her family said in the statement July 13.
Westheimer died a month after celebrating her 96th birthday and is survived by her children, Joel and Miriam, as well as four grandchildren.
The family will hold a private funeral, her publicist noted.
Before she made her mark as a joyful radio and television icon, Westheimer, born Karola Ruth Siegel, was orphaned at the age of 10 during the Holocaust, later training as a sniper for the Jewish underground.
Despite her past, Westheimer told TODAY in 2015 that her secret to life is her outlook.
“You have to keep an upbeat attitude,” she said, then adding, “You have problems, I know them. I have problems, too. I’m saying make the best out of every day that you have.”
In the 1960s, Westheimer worked at Planned Parenthood of New York City in East Harlem, later graduating from Columbia University with a doctorate degree.
Her media career began when she filled in at NBC-owned radio WYNY-FM to take questions from listeners, which ultimately led to the show “Sexual Speaking.” She branched out into television with "The Dr. Ruth Show."
The sex therapist was a guest on shows with Johnny Carson, David Letterman and Phil Donahue and made her film debut in the 1985 flick “One Woman or Two.”
Westheimer is also an acclaimed author, writing more than 60 books, including a children’s book entitled, “Crocodile, You’re Beautiful,” in 2019.
