BOSTON — I have been closely following the story of Dr. Alex Goldfarb, who disappeared while climbing one of the world’s tallest mountains. I reached out to reached out to Senators Elizabeth Warren and Ed Markey to see if there was anything they could do to help this family – a family whose patriarch cared for many sick COVID patients in Boston.
“It’s the people closest to me that helped the most,” said Levi Goldfarb, one of his two sons.
There isn’t a day that goes by where these brothers don’t think about their father, Dr. Alex Goldfarb.
“Seeing how much he would accomplish in a day, compared to others. There are only 24 hours in a day, he would accomplish so much more,” said Ben Goldfarb, his youngest son.
The 56-year-old Goldfarb was a critical care physician and U.S. mountain climber who traveled the world climbing some of the most challenging peaks.
The day after Christmas, his sons said Goldfarb and his friend went to Pakistan to climb the world’s 12th highest mountain.
Goldfarb’s friend stayed back thinking the terrain was too dangerous.
“He would always have a challenge he was working towards, and conquer the challenge,” said Ben Goldfarb.
Goldfarb took the challenge head on, and has been missing ever since.
“I can’t go see for myself if I don’t have a visa,” said Levi Goldfarb.
After they’ve been relentlessly reaching out to the US embassy in Pakistan.
“For 2 months, I was sitting on my hands like this, which is frustrating,” said Levi Goldfarb.
The family started losing hope.
“The main problem was getting any sort of documentation about what happened, and getting evidence,” said Levi Goldfarb.
I reached out to Warren and Markey to see if they could help.
Their staffers were able to assist the Goldfarbs by gathering a presumptive death of an American citizen abroad certificate from Islamabad, Pakistan.
“I would want an accurate picture as of to how feasible it is to get him back,” said Levi Goldfarb.
Goldfarb immigrated here from Russia. He was a healthcare hero who treated hundreds of COVID patients in the Boston area, and even risked his own life and spent weeks at Elmhurst hospital in Queens, New York, a place that was once the epicenter of the virus.
“He would do so much, his action was just be motivated,” said Ben Goldfarb.
Goldfarbs sons said their father was an infectious person and that everywhere he went, he made sure to help someone.
The family said they’re not giving up until they can bring his remains back, and have a proper funeral. They’ve set up a GoFundMe account hoping it will help with rescue efforts.
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