In Memoriam

Rebecca Adelman died April 22, 2020, in a car accident. At Wellesley, Rebecca was a Middle Eastern Studies major and a swimmer. She was a person who made her mark on the world in so many ways: first working in news media and then on the first Obama presidential campaign before joining the Department of Health and Human Services. She then pivoted and decided to pursue nursing so that she could provide direct care. When she died, she was a supervising nurse in the NICU at New York Presbyterian Hospital, doing what she loved-- practicing medicine under the most complex and daunting conditions, and being part of something larger than herself. Along the way, Rebecca met and married the love of her life, Caroline Lemelin '03, and they welcomed their precious twins Finn and Rory in 2018. 

Rebecca was a constant source of optimism for the people who were lucky to know her-- and to know her was to love her. Whip smart, with a ready laugh and a quick response to any query, she taught everyone around her to wear their burdens a little more lightly, to look for what is special in the world, and to find the most intense joy in family, work, and community. I will love and miss her forever. Please do not hesitate to get in touch with me if you would like to participate in efforts to honor her.

-Beth Merfish