Paul Michael Bruder was born in Moline, Illinois on April 23, 1985. He had a pretty typical childhood until age four when he started complaining of pains. He was taken to a specialist in Iowa City in the winter of 1989 and they found tumors. He was diagnosed with NF2 when he was six years old and granted a Make-A-Wish trip to Disney World when he was only nine. We all know what that is supposed to mean, but he, his mother Rhonda Cleary, and father Ted Bruder, never gave up.
With the support of everyone at the House Institute, (particularly Drs. Slattery, Stefan, Lekovic) as well as Dr. Lanman at Cedars-Sinai and Dr. Epstein then at Mayo Clinic, Paul underwent about 35 major operations. He managed to make it to age 34, when he died on December 3, 2019.
Paul was very intelligent, curious about the world and people, and traveled whenever he could. With friends or his boyfriend, he visited a number of countries in Europe and Asia.
Paul was a happy and caring friend who is missed every day.
