Noted Surgeon Neil Brourman
Passes Away from ALS

Neil Brourman, M.D.

The Los Angeles ophthalmologist and his family founded The Neil Brourman, M.D. ALS Research Fund which has helped enable The Association to leave no stone unturned in its quest to discover viable treatments and a cure for Lou Gehrig’s Disease. Since the fund’s inception in 1997, gifts totaling nearly $1.3 million have supported leading-edge ALS research projects.

Brourman also expanded the boundary of augmented communication for people with ALS by participating in the development of a communication system using polygraph technology. 

From the time he was diagnosed with ALS in 1997 and was only given six months to live, and until he passed away on October 5, Brourman the son of Phyllis and Harold Brourman, spent every waking moment of his life trying to help the ALS community. He remained positive and retained his spirit and zeal for living and maintained his passion, said Phyllis Brourman, a member of The ALS Association’s National Board of Trustees.

Despite the toll ALS had taken on his body − his only remaining movement was in his eyes that were filled with hope − he never complained about his fate. He once referred to himself as “the luckiest man in the world,” repeating the words that Lou Gehrig made famous.

Brourman committed his life to finding a cure and better treatments for ALS.

“My life has been fortunate because I have been surrounded by love − and that is the meaning of life,” Brourman said in an interview in 1999.

In 2004, he and the Brourman family were the first recipients of The Commitment to a Cure Award presented by the Greater Los Angeles Chapter.

“The ALS Association and the Greater Los Angeles Chapter of The ALS Association express their most heartfelt condolences to the family of Dr. Neil Brourman,” said Gary A. Leo, the president and CEO of The ALS Association.

“Neil Brourman was an inspiration to the ALS community nationwide exemplifying the notion that one can live life to the fullest even while battling a devastating disease such as ALS,” Leo continued.

Neil Brourman continued his fundraising efforts and education of others with the disease and the general public as long as possible.

“When he was diagnosed with ALS, Neil expressed confidence that there will be a cure and that even if the cure is not found in his lifetime, anything that we do will help bring us closer to the day when this disease no longer exists,” Phyllis Brourman said.

As the years went by, Brourman’s spirit only grew stronger and he never gave up his fight against ALS. His family firmly stood by his side and gave him the strength to continue his battle. He never gave up on living as full a life as possible. After receiving his diagnosis and being forced to sell his thriving practice, Brourman, enrolled in law school. After law school he had planned to become a fulltime advocate for disabled individuals by fighting for parents’ rights.

Neil Brourman will forever be in the hearts and minds of every ALS patient, caregiver and family member as we move closer to accomplishing our shared dream of a world without ALS,” Leo said.

Brourman received his undergraduate degree from the University at California at Davis and his medical degree from the University of Texas. His residency training was at Wayne State University Medical Center in Detroit, Mich., and his retina fellowship was at Wills Eye Hospital in Philadelphia, Pa.

Until his final days, Brourman continued to thrive and enjoy life to the fullest.

“While money might make the world go around, I noticed from a young age growing up in Beverly Hills that some of the wealthiest people were also some of the unhappiest,” he once said. “I have met rich people who are happy and poor people who are happy. What they share is love.”

Brourman became aware of the need to educate the public about ALS.

“Many people do not understand that there is nothing wrong with the brains of ALS patients. In fact, they are very intact,” he said. “Also, some people think that ALS patients do not hear. The public needs more education. {They have to know} that it is only muscles, not brain power, that is affected.”

Services were held on Sunday, October 7 at Hillside Memorial Park in Los Angeles. He is survived by his wife, Gina, two sons, Daniel and David, his parents, sister Debra Schellenberg and his brother Steven Brourman, M.D.

The family requests that all donations be made to The Neil Brourman, M.D. ALS Research Fund of The ALS Association, c/o The ALS Association, 27001 Agoura Road, Suite #150, Calabasas Hills, CA 91301-5104. Donations to the fund also can be made online by clicking here.