Dr. Ruth, sex therapist and ambassador to loneliness, dies at age 96

Dr. Ruth Westheimer, the world-famous sex therapist most commonly known as simply Dr. Ruth, died Friday at her home in Manhattan, according to her publicist Pierre Lehu.

Having lived 96 extremely full years devoting herself to fixing the sexual hangups of strangers, all while smiling and laughing in a way that infused a comfortable casualness into an otherwise awkward subject, the cause of her death has yet to be revealed, but she for sure had a nice, long run.

Westheimer's work became public-facing when she was in her 50s, fielding calls on the WYNY radio show “Sexually Speaking.” From the '80s, when her popularity was at its peak, up until she died, Dr. Ruth appeared on more TV and radio shows than you can count, wrote and contributed to dozens of books, and even popped up in the occasional movie cameo, such as in the French comedy "One Woman or Two."

In 2023, Westheimer received one of her last of many huge achievements when New York Gov. Kathy Hochul appointed her as the state’s honorary ambassador to loneliness.

On Saturday, Hochul gave a touching tribute to Dr. Ruth on X, writing, "Dr. Ruth Westheimer led an extraordinary life. She was brave, funny, candid and brilliant. As New York’s first-ever Ambassador to Loneliness, we worked together to spotlight a mental health crisis impacting our seniors. We will miss her greatly. May her memory be a blessing."