By Daniel Krauthammer
A full and proper list of the thanks and appreciations that this book ought to list would stretch back to a time before I was even born. This book, after all, is a culmination of work my father composed over a career that spanned four decades, throughout a life influenced and enriched by so many dear friends and close colleagues along the way.
As my father’s son and his appointed shepherd for this book, there were many functions and responsibilities I believed I could perform well on his behalf after his death. But knowing whom to thank and how—for all the wonderful years and rewarding works of his life—is, I’m afraid, not something I’m quite equipped to do. For that I would direct readers to the acknowledgments my father wrote in Things That Matter. And I ask all those whose acts of loyalty and friendship meant so much to my father in his life to please know the gratitude that he felt.
For my own part, I wish to thank everyone whose contributions made this book possible, starting from the day I first became involved with the project a year ago. This book was the work of many hands. My heartfelt thanks go to the entire team at Crown Forum, for whom this book was more than just a job, and without whom I would have been lost in this endeavor. In particular, Mary Reynics’ and Tina Constable’s wisdom, guidance and dedication made this book possible, as did the hard work of their colleagues Derek Reed, Ashley Hong and the entire extended team. My father had many research assistants throughout his career, and two of them—Hillel Ofek and Mike Watson—played important roles in helping to compile and edit the materials for this book. Special thanks go to Steve Hayes, Dana Perino and Pete Wehner, close friends all, who were not only incredible supports to our family, but also generously gave their time to read early drafts of the manuscript and provided their always insightful comments and guidance. Jean Junta, my father’s personal assistant, held down the fort and managed a wide array of complex logistics at the office during a most difficult time. And my father’s longtime assistants Jason Smith and Bill Mena provided vital help to him and to our family all throughout the same period.
Bob Barnett, my father’s longtime attorney and dear friend, made sure this book would live on and help preserve my father’s legacy. And even more importantly, he protected and guided my father and my family through the most harrowing of trials. On this count as well, my family’s deepest gratitude extends to Bret Baier, whose friendship and loyalty to my father knew no bounds, and who did everything in his power to help return my father to his life. Our sincere thanks go to Fred Hiatt and Don Graham, who were there at every turn for us. The support of all my father’s partners and colleagues and friends at Fox News and the Washington Post—Rupert Murdoch, Suzanne Scott, Jay Wallace, Richard Aldacushion and Alan Shearer, to name just a few—gave us safe harbor while we were bearing a terrible storm. We will never forget it.
A thanks that can never be adequately expressed, due to its magnitude, goes to the exceptional doctors, nurses, therapists, technicians, assistants, staff and leadership of the Shepherd Center and of Piedmont Hospital in Atlanta, Georgia. In particular, to the entire Shepherd family and to my father’s lead physician, Dr. Anna Elmers, whose astounding medical skills were matched equally by her personal dedication and profound caring. To John Morawski, Dr. David DeRuyter, Dr. Andrew Zadoff, Dr. Roderic Woodson, Dr. Jesse Couk and Dr. Ha Tran. And to Dr. William Davis, my father’s dear friend and doctor of many decades, who guarded and oversaw every development from near and far. Our debt to him for his personal and medical care is immeasurable. These doctors exemplify the gold standard of what it means to practice medicine with full excellence, integrity, kindness and imaginative tenacity.
My family’s deep thanks go to the friends who helped us navigate all the complexities and challenges we faced in this past year, the hardest of our lives. To Dr. Leon Kass, Dr. David Bluemke and Bonnie Beavan, Dr. Thomas Winkler, Dr. David Green, Karen Whitesell, Irwin and Cita Stelzer, Len and Fleur Harlan, Tovi Glasner, Rochelle Aschheim, Howard Stanislawski, Ambassador Ron and Rhoda Dermer, Bruce and Madeline Ramer, Lionel Chetwynd and Gloria Carlin, Pepe and Dianora Zalaquett, April Lee and the Lee family, Ted and Annette Lerner and the Lerner family. To Rabbi Fishman and Rabbi Sugarman. To Win and Sarah Brown—and Alice, Helen and Polly—whose bonds of friendship pulled us up from the darkest of places and helped us carry the burdens we could not bear on our own. To our family: to Lady Annabelle Weidenfeld and to my father’s niece Aviva, whose compassion sustained us, and to Clara, Brett, Jered, Michael, Gillian, Lucy, Shelly, Pippa and Riccardo. To our close friends who supported me and my mother and my father throughout the long night and never let us feel alone—so long as I live, I will remember and honor the extraordinary kindness and loyalty they showed us. To Michael, Christian, Jeremy and Stewart, who were there in my hour of greatest need. And to my dear friends who suffered their own family tragedies and shared so deeply in the heartbreak we all so desperately wished would never come: to Arla, Britt, Bryce, Chris, Jon, Meghan, Mikey, Taylor, Theo and Vasi. And above all to my girlfriend Klaudia. I could not have endured this trial without her constancy, her strength and her love.
That this book exists is a tribute to the dedication and friendship and support of these extraordinary people and many more. My family and I will be forever grateful. I know with all my heart that my father would have been too.