Obituary for Daniel Bruce Drachman
Daniel B. Drachman, age 90, was born July 18, 1932 and passed away on October 24, 2022 due to complications from a recent heart attack. He was born in Brooklyn, New York, to Julian and Emily (née Deitchman) Drachman and arrived several minutes after his identical twin David A. Drachman. Their middle initials were given by the obstetrical team that put tags on their toes to mark the birth order. Together with their older brother, Richard (Dick) Drachman, they grew up in Manhattan Beach, in a loving home that valued education, self-betterment and Jewish traditions. Emily was a beloved Hebrew school teacher and Julian taught English. Dan’s paternal grandfather was the noted Rabbi Bernard Drachman, who led the Park East Synagogue in New York for fifty-five years.
Along with his twin, Dan attended Columbia College, graduating in just three years (1952). Then, they both attended NYU School of Medicine, graduating in 1956 and making many lifelong friends. Dan completed his neurology residency at Boston University under the tutelage of the famous neurologist Derek Denny-Brown while Dave trained in neurology at Massachusetts General Hospital. During this time in Boston, Dan met the love of his life —his wife for the next fifty-nine years, Jephta Piatigorsky. They were set up by Jephta’s friend and future sister-in-law, Eleanor Derby, who was dating Dave at the time. Dan was an accomplished clarinetist, a skill which came in handy when he was called upon to play chamber music with his future father-in-law, Gregor Piatigorsky and colleagues Jascha Heifetz, William Primrose, and Israel Baker to celebrate his engagement to Jephta. Dan always enjoyed chamber music, and in later years would spend many afternoons and evenings playing with accomplished musicians, including his son, Evan.
Dan completed fellowship training and research in neuromuscular diseases at the National Institutes of Health, and then the young couple moved from Bethesda back to Boston, where Dan served on faculty at Tufts University Medical Center. In 1969 Johns Hopkins Medical Center recruited Dan to become one of the founding members of the newly established Department of Neurology along with Guy McKhan, John Freeman, and Dick Johnson. They were among the many colleagues at Hopkins who would become dear friends and collaborators.
Dan led groundbreaking research in the field of neuromuscular diseases. He identified the autoimmune basis of myasthenia gravis, discovered that steroids improved the outcome of children with Duchenne’s muscular dystrophy, and became one of the leading experts in the diagnosis and treatment of neuromuscular diseases. He received many awards throughout his career, including election to the National Academy of Medicine in 2014. He had a passion for helping people and solving problems. Several decades ago, he received a letter from an elementary school student who wrote “Congratulations for trying to cure deadly diseases. Keep up the good work!” That letter remains framed in his study at home. Dan continued his research into his eighties and remained a faculty member and practicing physician through June 2022.
Dan and Jephta were an impressive team, and together they raised three boys, Jonathan, Evan, and Eric. As parents and partners, they complemented each other perfectly and, together, felt like a force that could do anything they set their minds to. This included bicycling from Baltimore to Seattle in 1990 because it seemed like the best way to see the country and have an epic adventure together. Jephta supported Dan in all aspects of his career, including discussing the finer points of his research and entertaining the entire neurology department for an annual Apple Pick in their orchard. Dan advised and encouraged Jephta with her sculpting and was her biggest cheerleader when she took on leadership of the Shriver Hall Music Series and transformed it into one of the most successful chamber music venues in the country.
Dan and Jephta treasured their family and prioritized spending time with their three sons and five grandchildren. They enjoyed hosting large gatherings—birthdays, special occasions, New Years Eve—any excuse to get together with family and friends. Family vacations were often active adventures, including horseback riding, fly fishing, and skiing in the West. Dan’s last trip, just two months ago, was to attend his granddaughter’s wedding in the Pacific Northwest. There, he was surrounded by family, many of whom he had not been able to see since the start of the pandemic.
The last few years have not been the easiest for Dan. He lost his twin brother in 2016, his wife in 2019, and his older brother in 2021. Throughout his life, Dan was active, interested, and engaged, blessed with a sharp and inquisitive mind. At the time of his recent illness, he was reviewing articles for academic journals, engaged in completing his memoir, reading in his book club, and gathering with “the Thrice Club” (a group dedicated to discussing the world’s problems). A week before his heart attack, Dan gave a lecture on his research at the Johns Hopkins Homewood campus. He was an avid fan of Fareed Zakariah and would speak at length about his concerns regarding the political climate today.
Dan had deep gratitude for his devoted assistant and friend, Isabel Reyes. Besides watching the news, binge watching Netflix, and sharing many laughs, she made it possible for him to continue living at home for the last several years.
Dan is survived by his sons (Jonathan, Evan and Eric); daughters-in-law (Paula and Joan); his five grandchildren (Julia, Benjamin, Rebecca, Eli, and Oliver); and many cousins, nieces, and nephews.
Daniel Drachman will be remembered as a consummate physician and scientist, a loving husband, father, and grandfather, a mentor to generations of neurologists, and a person who believed that if he worked hard, really hard, there was nothing he couldn’t figure out. The world needs more people like him. He will be immensely missed.
Dan was a longtime supporter and served on the Board of the Piatigorsky Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to bringing live classical music to underserved audiences. Remembrances may be sent to: The Piatigorsky Foundation, 14 Penn Plaza, Ste. 1800, New York, NY 10122.
Services at Sol Levinson's Chapel, 8900 Reisterstown Road, Pikesville, MD 21208, on Thursday, October 27, 2022 at 12:00 pm. Interment Beth El Memorial Park. The family will be in mourning at 4006 Stewart Road, Stevenson, MD 21153, Thursday beginning at 5:00 pm with a Mincha service at 6:30pm, and Friday after 2:00 pm, with a service at 4:30pm.
Along with his twin, Dan attended Columbia College, graduating in just three years (1952). Then, they both attended NYU School of Medicine, graduating in 1956 and making many lifelong friends. Dan completed his neurology residency at Boston University under the tutelage of the famous neurologist Derek Denny-Brown while Dave trained in neurology at Massachusetts General Hospital. During this time in Boston, Dan met the love of his life —his wife for the next fifty-nine years, Jephta Piatigorsky. They were set up by Jephta’s friend and future sister-in-law, Eleanor Derby, who was dating Dave at the time. Dan was an accomplished clarinetist, a skill which came in handy when he was called upon to play chamber music with his future father-in-law, Gregor Piatigorsky and colleagues Jascha Heifetz, William Primrose, and Israel Baker to celebrate his engagement to Jephta. Dan always enjoyed chamber music, and in later years would spend many afternoons and evenings playing with accomplished musicians, including his son, Evan.
Dan completed fellowship training and research in neuromuscular diseases at the National Institutes of Health, and then the young couple moved from Bethesda back to Boston, where Dan served on faculty at Tufts University Medical Center. In 1969 Johns Hopkins Medical Center recruited Dan to become one of the founding members of the newly established Department of Neurology along with Guy McKhan, John Freeman, and Dick Johnson. They were among the many colleagues at Hopkins who would become dear friends and collaborators.
Dan led groundbreaking research in the field of neuromuscular diseases. He identified the autoimmune basis of myasthenia gravis, discovered that steroids improved the outcome of children with Duchenne’s muscular dystrophy, and became one of the leading experts in the diagnosis and treatment of neuromuscular diseases. He received many awards throughout his career, including election to the National Academy of Medicine in 2014. He had a passion for helping people and solving problems. Several decades ago, he received a letter from an elementary school student who wrote “Congratulations for trying to cure deadly diseases. Keep up the good work!” That letter remains framed in his study at home. Dan continued his research into his eighties and remained a faculty member and practicing physician through June 2022.
Dan and Jephta were an impressive team, and together they raised three boys, Jonathan, Evan, and Eric. As parents and partners, they complemented each other perfectly and, together, felt like a force that could do anything they set their minds to. This included bicycling from Baltimore to Seattle in 1990 because it seemed like the best way to see the country and have an epic adventure together. Jephta supported Dan in all aspects of his career, including discussing the finer points of his research and entertaining the entire neurology department for an annual Apple Pick in their orchard. Dan advised and encouraged Jephta with her sculpting and was her biggest cheerleader when she took on leadership of the Shriver Hall Music Series and transformed it into one of the most successful chamber music venues in the country.
Dan and Jephta treasured their family and prioritized spending time with their three sons and five grandchildren. They enjoyed hosting large gatherings—birthdays, special occasions, New Years Eve—any excuse to get together with family and friends. Family vacations were often active adventures, including horseback riding, fly fishing, and skiing in the West. Dan’s last trip, just two months ago, was to attend his granddaughter’s wedding in the Pacific Northwest. There, he was surrounded by family, many of whom he had not been able to see since the start of the pandemic.
The last few years have not been the easiest for Dan. He lost his twin brother in 2016, his wife in 2019, and his older brother in 2021. Throughout his life, Dan was active, interested, and engaged, blessed with a sharp and inquisitive mind. At the time of his recent illness, he was reviewing articles for academic journals, engaged in completing his memoir, reading in his book club, and gathering with “the Thrice Club” (a group dedicated to discussing the world’s problems). A week before his heart attack, Dan gave a lecture on his research at the Johns Hopkins Homewood campus. He was an avid fan of Fareed Zakariah and would speak at length about his concerns regarding the political climate today.
Dan had deep gratitude for his devoted assistant and friend, Isabel Reyes. Besides watching the news, binge watching Netflix, and sharing many laughs, she made it possible for him to continue living at home for the last several years.
Dan is survived by his sons (Jonathan, Evan and Eric); daughters-in-law (Paula and Joan); his five grandchildren (Julia, Benjamin, Rebecca, Eli, and Oliver); and many cousins, nieces, and nephews.
Daniel Drachman will be remembered as a consummate physician and scientist, a loving husband, father, and grandfather, a mentor to generations of neurologists, and a person who believed that if he worked hard, really hard, there was nothing he couldn’t figure out. The world needs more people like him. He will be immensely missed.
Dan was a longtime supporter and served on the Board of the Piatigorsky Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to bringing live classical music to underserved audiences. Remembrances may be sent to: The Piatigorsky Foundation, 14 Penn Plaza, Ste. 1800, New York, NY 10122.
Services at Sol Levinson's Chapel, 8900 Reisterstown Road, Pikesville, MD 21208, on Thursday, October 27, 2022 at 12:00 pm. Interment Beth El Memorial Park. The family will be in mourning at 4006 Stewart Road, Stevenson, MD 21153, Thursday beginning at 5:00 pm with a Mincha service at 6:30pm, and Friday after 2:00 pm, with a service at 4:30pm.