John Ritter

On the night of September 11, 2003, my husband John Ritter lost his life to an undiagnosed aortic dissection.  He died in the hospital while being mistakenly treated for heart attack.

The intensity of the sadness and grief that overwhelmed our family is imaginable only to those of us who have lived through such a devastating upheaval. As the initial shock of our loss faded and the reality of what had happened set in, I realized that part of the confusion of this ordeal came from our hazy understanding, at the time, of what exactly an aortic dissection was.

I educated my family and myself about aortic aneurysm and dissection by reaching out to clinicians, surgeons, scientists, patient survivors and family members of victims. Every day since having my own consciousness raised I have endeavored to pass on information in ways large and small to the public regarding this disease. I started the John Ritter Foundation for Aortic Health to raise public and professional awareness through research and education. The goal is to simultaneously enlighten the general public while promoting an open exchange of information sharing at the highest levels of cardio-thoracic expertise. In John’s name, the foundation will create an informative and understandable environment that encourages and supports participation in one’s own aortic health.

~ Amy Yasbeck

[Learn about Family Aortic Aneurysm]

[Watch the video of Amy's Today Show Appearance where she talks about her new book and the importance of raising awareness of the genetic risk factors for aortic dissection.]

Letter from Tom Ritter:

Although John was my little brother, because of my cerebral palsy, in many ways he became my big brother.  From childhood on he was always there for me.  When I stumbled he was there to help me up.  When I became frustrated with myself because of my disability, through his gift of laughter I found strength.  He cheered me on a supported me in my day-to-day life and in my ongoing struggle with cerebral palsy.  Together, we took on the task of raising public awareness of the condition.

Year after year, through The United Cerebral Palsy Telethon we raised money for research and support for children and adults living with CP. John tireless took on this cause because he truly believed that the public platform that his fans and his profession had so graciously afforded him could be used to improve the quality of peoples’ lives. He was right. More than four years after we lost him, the Cerebral Palsy Community still feels the positive affect he had on our cause.

John will have the same, if not greater, affect on the community of those who have survived or have lost someone to Aortic Aneurysm or Dissection.

Last year I found that I had an aneurysm in my aorta and I was at risk of an aortic dissection, the same condition that my brother had. The doctors also think my father Tex may have had this same condition when he passed away.

Although numb, my wife Pam and I went forward seeking second opinions and were directed to Dr. Craig Miller from Stanford University. I had surgery at Stanford on December 21st.  Through aortic replacement surgery, I have been assured of not having an aortic dissection and will hopefully enjoy a long life. It was painful for me to learn that Dr. Miller has been doing this procedure for 14 years. It was painful, because John has been gone for only four years, and I believe that proper diagnosis could have made the difference and John would be here with us today.

Although, I am still recuperating, I think that it is important for all of you to know more about this condition and its diagnosis (often misdiagnosis). I also am very grateful to my sister-in-law, Amy Yasbeck, whose passion and encouragement resulted in me not accepting the status quo. In fact, Amy’s perseverance ultimately may have meant “life over death” for me.

Please speak to your doctor at your next check up about aortic aneurysm. If you have a relative that has survived or succumbed to and aneurysm or dissection you risk is much higher. Let your doctor know this. Tell John and my story and save your own life or save the life of someone irreplaceable to you.

~ Tom Ritter