Absolutely Al
How Al Gray Dealt With Mobsters, Mental Illness, Marital Woes and the KGB
by
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“He was in a quandary. He had his problems, and he wasn’t resolving them. He had been through the mill. You don’t see a strong recovery like his too often. I spent a lot of time with him going through his life history and seeking a clarification of what was going on. That didn’t come easily. I did a lot of listening.” Al was put on medications to ease his mental instability. Dr. Friedman says that was a vital step. He says that was an non-negotiable item. The therapy sessions were by no means routine. “His being an attorney meant each session I had with him was like another Supreme Court case. He argued his position forcefully. It was like going into a courtroom. I had to tread carefully because he was queasy about me slapping a psychiatric diagnosis on him.” Ernest Friedman had the feeling that Al always had something up his sleeve. “In a patient like this, there is a big danger of being seduced. I was watching this very carefully to see when the seduction came. He had a fine mind. He was like a bejeweled timepiece. Some people would see him as very charming. He would see himself as in command. Who was going to compete with him?” What caused Al to become manic-depressive? Dr. Friedman says genetics may have played a role. He says there can be a ticking time bomb in a person’s genetic makeup. He says Al’s relationship with his father may have been a factor, but he doesn’t discount the possibility that Al’s marriage complicated matters for him.
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About the Book
Initial impressions can be false impressions. Walk into Al Gray’s stately home and you will be overwhelmed by dazzling works of art and a broad array of priceless artifacts. Walls are adorned with photos of Al with the political leaders of our times. You can’t miss the awards for his generous support of numerous causes and charities. You realize Al Gray was on the frontlines in the battle to win freedom for Soviet Jews. You surmise this is a man who has taken a long journey down easy street. A life free from worry and financial pressures. Yes, Al has enjoyed a blessed life, but has encountered numerous challenges and setbacks. Al Gray could conquer Wall Street, but was knocked to his knees by mental illness. His life of bounty haunted by on-going nightmares about the mysterious disappearance of his beloved father. A twist of fate saved Al and his family from death aboard Pan Am 103. His mental illness would bring an end to his marriage. The future looked bleak. How did Al Gray bounce back from adversity with such a vengeance? What can we learn from his burning desire to get back on track?
About the Author
Gary Stromberg is also the author of Every Tiger Has a Tale. The book shares the fascinating life stories of 48 graduates of Cleveland Heights High School. The former Heights students talk about the twists and turns they encountered on life’s highway. The inspiring stories showcase Heights graduates from several generations. Gary graduated from Cleveland Heights in 1968. He went on to earn journalism degrees from Northwestern University and Columbia University. He was awarded a fellowship by the Radio Television News Directors Association. He has been inducted into the National Broadcasters Hall of Fame and the Cleveland Heights High Distinguished Alumni Hall of Fame. Gary’s first book, Aren’t You That News Man?, chronicles his thirty-year career as a reporter at WJW in Cleveland. The book also shares stories of growing up in Cleveland Heights. Gary and his wife Patty are the proud parents of Kimberly, Kate and Craig Stromberg.