Date: Mon, 8 Feb 2021 09:57:25 -0500
From: Karl Nerenberg 
Subject: Phil Ackerman


Hello All, (From Karl)

Phil Ackerman phoned me last night from his apartment in Asheville, N.C. I had
called him last week to tell him about the Zoom reunion, but did not reach him,
and could not leave a message. I first got a busy signal; then, no answer and no
voice mail.

It turns out Phil was in the hospital with a virus, but not COVID-19. That is
only the latest of his health problems. He suffered three strokes over the past
few years, which have seriously limited his mobility. He called me as soon as he
got home. I assume his call display told him I had called.

All things considered, Phil seems to be in fairly good shape. I summarized our
Zoom meeting for him, and gave him brief sketches of the fulfilling and
successful lives folks have led since high school. He remembered everybody, so
cognitively he is doing fine.

Phil has a long term relationship with a woman named Susie, a grandmother of
six, who helps him out. When I told him about the classmates who died, he noted
that, in comparison, he is doing well. Still kicking, as my friends in Tetlit
Zheh, NWT, used to say.

Apparently the email we have been using for Phil is no good, though emails sent
to it do not bounce. The point is moot, since he does not seem to have a
computer or internet connection. He will return phone calls, however, or answer
the phone directly. His number is: 828- 232-7187

You can add Phil to our list of children of Holocaust survivors, in his case his
father, who, like Emil Lander's father, was a furrier. His mother was from New
York, and never lost her accent. In all the years I knew Phil the question of
his father's personal history never came up. Yesterday, Phil told me his father
never, ever spoke about it; not a word.

Phil is considering trying to communicate with people by email on Susie's
computer, but COVID could be a barrier. Susie might want to limit their
interactions to the outdoors. If he does succeed, I verbally gave him the email
addresses for a small number of members of this group. I hope that is okay.

? bient?t tout le monde!

karl n

--
Karl Nerenberg,
Director/ producer/ writer-editor
R?alisateur/ producteur/ r?dacteur
M?dia Nerenberg-Plaine Media Inc.