Dr. Ruth, Renowned Sex Therapist and Loneliness Advocate, Dies at 96

Dr. Ruth Westheimer, the globally recognized sex therapist affectionately known as Dr. Ruth, passed away on Friday at her Manhattan residence, her publicist Pierre Lehu confirmed.

Having dedicated 96 remarkable years to addressing the sexual concerns of countless individuals, always with a beaming smile and infectious laugh, the specific cause of her death remains undisclosed. Nonetheless, her extensive career left a lasting legacy.

Westheimer’s journey into the public eye began in her 50s when she started taking calls on the WYNY radio show “Sexually Speaking.” From the height of her popularity in the 1980s until her passing, Dr. Ruth appeared on numerous TV and radio programs, authored and contributed to many books, and made occasional cameos in films, notably in the French comedy “One Woman or Two.”

In 2023, one of her last significant accolades was bestowed upon her when New York Governor Kathy Hochul appointed her as the state’s honorary ambassador to loneliness.

Governor Hochul shared a heartfelt tribute to Dr. Ruth on X, stating, “Dr. Ruth Westheimer led an extraordinary life. She was brave, funny, candid, and brilliant. As New York’s first-ever Ambassador to Loneliness, we worked together to spotlight a mental health crisis impacting our seniors. We will miss her greatly. May her memory be a blessing.”