Send Willy Burgdorfer a message of gratitude
Willy Burgdorfer, the discoverer and namesake of the spirochete that causes Lyme disease (Borrelia burgdorferi), has entered hospice care.
LymeDisease.org President Phyllis Mervine, who has known Burgdorfer for many years, spoke by phone recently with his wife, Lois.
“She told me his health has been declining markedly in the past six months,” Mervine said. “He has Parkinson’s and his speech is usually not intelligible. But Lois said the thing that brings a smile to his face in when anyone mentions the Lab where he worked for many years.”
Burgdorfer worked at the National Institute of Health’s Rocky Mountain Laboratory in Montana, where he researched the connection between animal and human diseases and such vectors as ticks, fleas and mosquitoes. His research is published in more than 225 papers and books. He received worldwide recognition for his 1982 discovery of the causative agent of Lyme disease.
“We can’t know how long he will live,” Mervine said, “but we have a window of opportunity to let this eminent scientist know how much we appreciate his contributions.”
Here’s Mervine’s suggestion: If you have something you’d like to say to Dr. Burgdorfer, please write it in the comments section of this blog. We will compile the messages and send them to his wife.
TOUCHED BY LYME is written by Dorothy Kupcha Leland, LymeDisease.org’s VP for Education and Outreach. Contact her at dleland@lymedisease.org. On Twitter, she’s @dorothyleland.
Thank you for all your Amazing gifts, your tireless efforts to help so many, may you enjoy the sunrise and the sunsets deep within your body feel the love! You are a true gift. Big warm hug…
Stay Strong, Live Life, Love Deepley.
Thank you for your dedication to understanding disease and for your discovery in your Lyme research. Your work was a catapult to better understand a complicated disease. I know your work will be key to research, treatment and a cure someday. Know you have helped many and will continue to do so for a very long time. May you be content, peaceful and free of fear on your journey.
I also want to insert the word awestruck to the list of testimonials. I have been awestruck by the courage and tenacity shown by Willy, Dr Jones and many others in the fight to help people like me lead a normal life.
Only exceptional people do the right thing when it involves putting their entire livelihood, education and family security on the line. Such is the case with the LLMD,s LAMPS, LEADERS and others who still struggle in the trenches despite the dangers.
Thank you. Thank you.
Tom Borden diagnosed 07/14
Lois, know that the work your husband did was important and impacted many lives in a positive way. I wish you peace and grace in the coming days.
Thank you, Mr. Burgdorfer, for your monumental contributions to science through your work in microbiology. I am so grateful!
Thank you very much for your scientific research and discoveries. They are of a huge benefit to the many people with Lyme disease.
Thank you for your ground breaking research. You put a name on a disease, which brought answers and validation to many. Thank you for paving the way for all the Lyme fighters to come.
Dr B
Thank you for your tireless efforts in your research. You have no idea how many lives you have touched, including mine. I am deeply grateful for true honest scientists who are not driven by hidden agendas. You are a master of your field and a credit to humanity.
I am completely in awe at how you were driven to find the bacteria spirochete despite the strong oppositions you faced. You are such a rare jewel.
Thank you for saving my life.
rita
I just want to thank you for all the great work you have done for the Lyme Disease community. Without you we may still be searching for the answers to our mysterious symptoms. I am familiar with Parkinson’s Disease because my mother has it, she is 95
and in hospice also. My heart goes out to you and your family.
Best,
Nancy Meller
Dr. Willy Burgdorferi: is a pleasure and honor write this message To you, I a researcher in Lyme theme, I Live in México (Monterrey) in my thesis of grade of Vet I implement the PCR techinc by first time in México in 1994. I send you thanks for all contributions for science …my e mail is mvztamez@gmail .com if you want a copy of my tesis….best regards and be fine.
Willy, you’re the famous discoverer of the Lyme spirochete! Thank you for that, from the bottom of my heart.
Diane J Marie
Albuquerque
Dear Dr. Burgdorfer,
It is abundantly clear, that because of your work, you have saved my life, as well as the lives of several other members of my family. You, your work, and your legacy will be remembered, and fight for Lyme awareness will continue. Without you, none of this would have been possible. I don’t know what religious beliefs you may hold, but in my mind, you earned your angel wings several times over!
For those who’ve been saved in thanks due to your work, and for all of those who will be saved by it in the future, we will be eternally grateful!
Thank you
Your life’s work has meant so much to so many thousands or hundreds of thousands of people. Few people in this world can say they have made such a great contribution, that they have made such wonderful use of their ives. I, and all Lyme patients, are so indebted to you and send you our love and gratitude.
Thank you so very much for all your tireless work you have done for the Lyme disease cause. YOU are an amazing inspirational gift to the world and WE who have been touched by the disease are forever grateful. GOD BLESS you and you are in my prayers. XOXO
Dear Dr. Burgdorfer,thank you for your brilliant research.!Without your work, we Lyme disease patients all over the world , would still be ignored by the medical Profession.
Love and Many thanks,
Ann Maher
Ireland
You are a wonderful man.
Thank you for your groundbreaking research and discovery. Thank you for being outspoken and not afraid of confronting the establishment. Without you there would be little hope for us sufferers.
Lieber Herr Dr. Burgdorfer,
wir haben uns 2009 in Tabarz kennen gelernt und ich war von Ihnen und über Ihren Vortrag “Borrelia burgdorferi: The mysterious ghost” fasziniert. Leider gibt es in der Borreliose-Bekämpfung zu wenig Menschen mit diesem Experten-Wissen wie Sie. Ich möchte mich als Borreliose-Betroffener ganz herzlich bedanken für Ihr grossartiges Wirken und ich wünsche Ihnen alles Gute.
Dear Doctor Burgdorfer, few will ever make the impact you did with your research and your work. Although there still remains work to be done, one can only imagine where the lyme community would be without your contributions. I wish you and your family all the very best, and thank you again so very kindly. You are a great man.
Many thanks for your hard work and research. As a Lyme sufferer, your work has helped give us hope. Thank you and may your days be full of peace, serenity and hope.
Every now and then God gives us a special person who lives and serves others, you are my pick! Without you and your dedication to the health of others I don’t think I would have a husband now. I thank you from the bottom of my heart, my sole, my very being for being the man you are. Life is a high and low road, bless you for serving us.. Bless you dear man and know you are truly loved.. the Snells in Pa.
Thank you for your amazing contributions in the fight against Lyme disease! May you and your family know the peace of God!
Thank you for your dedication to science and your important discovery that has helped thousands and maybe even millions. We are thinking of you!
Thank you Doctor Burgdorfer for your work in the name of the Croatian Lyme disease community.
You put a name on to what was unnamed before and may God bless you.
Blessings to you, Dr. Burgdorfer. Saying thank you is hardly enough to convey my gratitude for your tireless and brilliant research and advocacy. I and other members of my family have been battling these diseases for years, and as you know, Lyme and coinfections steal our health, finances, relationships, plans and dreams for the future. But your research and commitment gave the bacteria a name and a scientific basis to Lyme, in a medical world where we are rarely believed. You and your family will be in my prayers. Thank you, you are a true hero to so many of us.
Dr. Burgdorfer,
I cannot begin to express my appreciation for your work. The identification of the cause of Lyme disease was the first step in getting the disease taken seriously. Without your work who knows how long it would have taken to find out what has been making so many people ill with so many different kinds of symptoms for so many years.
As far as many of us are concerned, you epitomize what research and science are all about – pursuing truth no matter who may or may not believe what is found. You are a true pioneer who, no doubt, will be celebrated widely when the powers that be finally wake up to the reality of just how many people are infected. Of course, we who have this illness will always be grateful and have a special place in our hearts for you.
My very best to you during this time.
Sincerely,
Kathleen McCormick
Dear Dr. Burgdorfer,
Thank you so much for your discovery and diligent research on the Lyme disease causative organism. Your life’s work has saved my life, so many others lives, and that number is yet to unfold in the millions. Wishing you well!
K.C. Smith
Thank you for your seminal work on the causative agent of Lyme disease. Also for speaking out against the shameful situation which has enveloped this disease. You are truly a man of integrity and scholarly brilliance. Best wishes and warm thoughts from the U.K.
Dear Willie Burgdorferi,
What you have given to us all has no measure, it is boundless and will continue to grow for decades to come. While we still wait for better treatment, research and understanding, you identified the source of our problems and in so doing you liberated hundreds of thousands of us from being labelled as hypochondriacs and psych cases and freed us of that mental torture. Your great work gives us proof and credence and courage to believe in ourselves and to keep going – Where would we be, where could we be without you. It doens’t bare to think about it. So know at this time that hundreds of thousands of lights are burning in the hearts of Lyme patients all over this world to light your way,
You are a cherished soul – THANK YOU
Thank you, Dr Burgdorfer, for all the work you did on Lyme disease. Both my mother and I are now receiving the appropriate care thanks to your discovery, by some amazing doctors who have listened to your findings. My doctor gives talks, and you are always the first doctor or scientist to be named. Thank you.
Thank you so much for the work you have done and the scientific progress you have brought about for all of us suffering with Lyme Disease.
We still have a long way to go for our cure, but you have changed the lives of so many ill people. Just having a name and a cause for our illness makes such a difference.
We are sending you love from Sicily.
Thank you. Your discovery has meant that I and thousands of others have had a chance to understand Lyme disease, fight it and get well. I am very, very grateful
Sending you much gratitude for your tireless work. You have helped so many, including my daughter, who is fighting a hard battle with the illness. Without your work, so many people would be suffering unnecessarily and the difference you have made is profound.
We wish you love, laughter and the will to continue fighting. Sending healing thoughts and God’s blessing to you.
Throughout Europe we are deeply thankful for your original insight and your continuing work. We shall for ever be thankful that you had the inspiration based on your PhD studies in Switzerland and made the link between the spirochaete you found in American deer ticks to those you knew in Swiss sheep ticks. From the UK we send you our heartfelt thanks and, lost for appropriate words, our very best wishes.
‘The controversy in Lyme disease research is a shameful affair’ says Willy Burgdorfer So [this] shame includes physicians who don’t even have the courage to tell a patient, “You have Lyme disease and I don’t know anything about it’
Interview from producers of Under Our Skin – these words ring so true, thank you Willy for speaking out, your research is invaluable..
In science the truth is a beautiful thing. Thank you for your dedication to it.
I am praying for you and your family ! Thank you just doesn’t seem enough ! I pray that because of your courage to keep going and day after day for years upon years to plug away to finding the Lyme bacteria that youe story will inspire and encourage others to keep chasing their dreams . Your passion will leave a legacy that will last forever ! I pray more young men and women hear your story not just about Lyme but about your passion and desire to never quit or give up when it would have been easy to do ! You are truly and hero ! God bless you and your family ! I pray that you do not have pain or suffering ! I pray for your family that they may always feel you with them and honor you just like they are doing now . Not to die is live in the hearts we leave behind ! Well Doctor I do not think you are going to die because your legacy will live forever ! Godspeed !
Thank you and may God bless you
Dear Mr.Burgdorfer…
Make I take this time to send you a message of hope, gratitude and sincere best wishes as you fight your own personal battle with ill health. I still don’t understand why bad things happen to good people, but I say we all have a destiny and our journey through life helps to shape the people we are, how we help others and how we leave a mark in this world. Please know your time and effort has helped such a considerable amount of people
and will continue to play such a vital role as medicine evolves and hopefully a cure for Lyme Disease. You are an inspiration, a fighter and truly respected man, who we owe many thanks to. May you manage to live the rest of your days comfortably surrounded by those you love and know you have been a figure of inspiration to us all and I salute you with gratitude. Take care and sending you wishes for your health and happiness.
Chantelle Lewis
chantellefightslyme.wordress.com
Thank you, Dr. Burgdorfer, for the work you have done. I don’t know where I would be right now without it. I can’t imagine how sick I would be – and now I am nearly completely healthy!
Thank you so much for your tireless efforts. You can rest knowing you are loved and appreciated.
Thank you so much sir for your work which benefits me and so many today. Thank you God for the blessing you bestowed on us 2000 years ago and being manifested in so many ways including the work of Dr. Burgdorfer.
Most people just cruise through life and do only what has to be done to survive. Then there are special people like you that pour their heart and soul into it. From the bottom of my heart, I thank you for going that extra mile and finding out what this horrible disease is. Because of you, thousands and thousands of people know what they’re fighting against. I pray you know just how much you helped us. I’m eternally grateful to you. May God wrap His arms around you. ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
THANK YOU
Dr. Burgdorfer
Few make a huge difference in the lives of so many as you Have ! Thank you for your Amazing Dedication and Hard work in the Fight against Lyme ! We owe you a great debt of gratitude .
Love and prayers to you and your family .
God Bless You . (( Hugs))
Thank you for fighting for us. Without you, Lyme disease research and data would be years behind where it is now. I hope you know what an incredible asset you have been to the medical community, specifically the tick-borne illness spectrum. Thank you for standing by your research and not backing down. You are brave, intelligent, and compassionate. Thank you.
Thank you! Because of your work I received antibiotics and was able to function normally after two months! Otherwise, people would have told me my sickness was all in my head. My children have their mom back!
I can’t think of a more enriching pursuit than you life’s work in science or a more beneficial one to society than yours. You have given so much to so many and will continue to do so for…well forever. Because of your persistence and therefore discovery so much has been learned and so many have been helped, it will always be the starting point that makes every advancement in the understanding and treatment of Lyme and it’s co-infections possible. Thank you from the bottom of my sole, thank you for the world. Enjoy whatever is to come on this earth and beyond.
Dr. Burgdorfer,
Thank you so much for all you have done for those of us in the Lyme community. Without you, we would have been lost. I was diagnosed with Lyme 3 years ago and am slowly improving. Because of your research, you have helped save my life. I thank you from the bottom of my heart.
Shelley Still
I am so grateful to you for your dedication to Lyme research. Your contributions have saved so many lives and given credibility to Lyme disease suffers.
It only takes 1 person to care. THANK YOUFOR YOUR RESEARCH!!!
Thank you Dr Burgdorfer for finding the borrelia spirochete all those years ago, what a pity others responsible for protecting our health haven’t followed in your giant footsteps, had they done so no doubt millions around the World could have been prevented from suffering the ravages of this disease.
Thank you Dr Burgdorfer. Because of your groundbreaking work, myself and my daughter are on the road to recovery. We are truly grateful.
From all us here in Australia, we would like to send you our gratitude and thank you for everything you have done for Lyme research. Your an inspiration to many and your work will always be highly regarded and appreciated.
Thank you so much for the work you have done. I always thank Good that I know what I have although the treatment sucks, so do the most doctors who treated me. God bless people who are helping others
Hi Willy, you gave us more than words can express and I am overflowing with gratitude for the path you have travelled. Thank you for touching the world, and us, the way you did. Your dedication and self belief is inspiration. Love and comfort to you xx Amanda
Tank you so much for all of you time and research while you were at NIH, Dr. Burgdorferi. We all owe you a debt of gratitude! God bless you.
Thank you for making your life’s work one of investigation and service. You’ve made it possible for me and countless others to identify and fight the thing that plagues us — borrelia burgdorferi. And thank you for speaking up about the injustice around Lyme research. Your words in “Under Our Skin” are seared in my brain: “The controversy in Lyme disease research is a shameful affair. And I say that because the whole thing is politically tainted. Money goes to people who have, for the past 30 years, produced the same thing—nothing.” Thank you for saying it. Thank you.
Thank you for all you have done for us. Without you we would be unable to live our lives as we should. God bless you and keep you safe.
Thank you for your groundbreaking work on Lyme disease and for being such a great advocate for Lyme patients.
Thank you, thank you, thank you for all that you have done!!!!
You have sparked the seed for what may be the explanation for countless individuals. From one seed to the many branches of chronic infection and how they may be associated with chronic conditions & stealth infections. Your work is instrumental to humanity!!!!!
Thanks to you, my illness has a name and a treatment. I have a wonderful doctor who goes the extra mile and thanks to you, she is able to learn how to help me heal. You’ve impacted the lives of millions you will never know. Bless you and may the wings of happiness rest on your shoulders. You have changed lives.
Thank you for enabling me to have had a life these last 25 years and hope for the years to come. Without you and those who understood your discovery it would have very different.
Thank you so much for your dedication and research. You spent your life opening eyes that we in turn will do what we can to keep those eyes open and open them more. Without all of your hard work we would still be in question, for that we are forever in debt to you. Thank you for your passion, your compassion and your drive. Thank you for being you!
Dear Dr. B,
Thank you for your years of work and diligence in figuring out the many aspects of Lyme and other vector borne illnesses. May God bless you.
Forever grateful~
God bless you and your family. Thank you for your research for dedication to give a name to something that most people called us crazy for having. You have changed my life, I just wish their were doctors out there willing to treat these illnesses the right way. You inspire me to be better and help those that can’t help themselves. I might die from Lyme, but I will fight and spread the word until my last breath. Thank you for proving this is real and for all the lives you have saved.
Prayers and be happy, be happy to know God sent you here on a mission and you did it!
A true angel in disguise.
Thank you Doctor. Many blessings upon you and your family. Appreciate your tireless work for many of us.
On the day after my 56th birthday after I miraculously surviving a complete brain stroke due to Lyme 8 years ago, I thank you.
Thank you for all you’ve done for the TBD community – your gift will greatly be appreciated forever! God bless you – Sending lots of prayers your way and may God comfort your family ♥♥♥
Your Discovery has helped thousands of people who were experiencing the madness of the Mysterious disease that no one believed was a reality. You gave a name to the invisible hijacker of their bodies and minds and created a new direction which many could explore as a possibility. Identifying the cause helped many get the proper treatment, and early treatment.
You helped give these patients a voice, and supported their innate knowledge that there was something wrong, validated that they were sick, despite the medical communities diagnosis that it was ‘all in their heads’.
Your work and diligence has saved thousands of lives. We are all grateful for all you have done. Thank you!! Love and Peace!!
~ Ilona
Dr. Burgdorfer,
Thank you so much for your research. Your work has put a name on the thing that has affected my life the most for almost 4 decades. It gives me hope to know what my affliction is, and to know that there are people out there spending their lives and careers to understand it better. I’m praying for your health.
Sandra Rideout-Hanzak, PhD
Thank you Dr Burdorfer for your ground-breaking and fascinating work into spirochetal research and for speaking out against the shameful state of medical practice and science research of Lyme Borreliosis. I trust that the science community will very soon take account of your scholarly opinions on the persistence of Lyme disease, the diversification of Borrelia and the neurological manifestations of this disease. Sending you heartfelt blessings with great respect and warmth from UK.
Dear Willy,
Much love to you from the MacDonald family, now retired in Florida, but still doing research
Which has clinical impact at the patient ‘s bedside.
You have said that in research into the full spectrum of illnesses
Which are caused by or impacted by burgdorferi borrelia families of Spirochetes,
That we commenced our investigations while “walking on thin ice, but that the ice is getting thicker every day”.
And so it is that many around the world have become aware of borrelia in their bodies
Or in their communities. Connecting the ideas which you have given life to has
Improved the quality of life for so many persons .
We shall continue our March on the ice ,
moving forward and improving the quality of life
For so many , thanks to your hard work, brilliant research, and advocacy for
Better health through the discoveries of root causes of so many illnesses which , before your illumination were relegated to ” so called viral syndromes.”
Braves to you , Willy, and know that our world is a better place because of you!
Much Love
Alan and Patricia
Nov 14
I just want to repeat what everyone has said and that is that my thoughts are with you and your family and I hope you are so proud of all of the amazing work and research you have done on the discovery of lyme disease. I have been affected by it but fortunately not too serious and am on road to recovery. I pray for you and your family and wish you pain free. You definitely have changed a lot of lives for the better. #Hero
thank you,this world always needs great people like you.I hope you get the care you need now that you need it
Thank you for dedicating your life to a disease that took the lives of so many people worldwide, due to non-treatment or too little treatment. I hope that one day there will be both more efficient diagnosis methods and ways to recover! Have been bitten by hundreds of ticks through the years, but am still fighting…. <3
God bless you for your work…Prayers and love for you and your loved ones
Thank you so much Mr Burgdorfer, for all your persistence and curious mind that lead you to discover the spirochete. It is because of you that thousands have been able to identify and treat such a disease as Lyme. It is men and women like you who make a profound contribution to mankind !!
Dr. Burgdorfer,
Thank you for your work, your dedication and your perserverance.
From the Netherlands, with gratitude,
Evelien
A heart full of thanks, Dr. Burgdorfer! I cannot begin to imagine all the painstaking, tiring, long hours you must have worked to discover the cause of this complex disease that affects so many, including me. You’re an incredible scientist and a real saint! May God bless and comfort you and your family.
Dear Mr. Burgdorfer,
Thank you for everything! Your work has been a blessing to everyone of us suffering Lyme disease. God bless you and your family. Lots of love to you my friend!
Irene from Finland
Dr Burgdorferi Thank you for your important work in identifying the Borrelia Spirochete, what a pity more researchers haven’t yet stepped into your giant footsteps and helped the millions of sick patients the World over.
Thank you for all that for the research and support that you have undertaken in this lifetime. Thank you for standing up and speaking out about the controversies surrounding Lyme. Thank you for standing strong in your beliefs – and being a terrific human being. Much respect and gratitude – Karen : A Lyme patient from Australia.
Thank you Dr Burgdorfer,
For the hard work of many hours & much dedication to find the causative agent of Lyme Disease. Your work will never be forgotten & as a sufferer i am grateful for strong folk like yourself who put themselves out there to help others.
Love to you & your family,
Kendall (Lyme Disease Sufferer in Australia)
Dear Dr Burgorfer,
From Australia we say thank you…… for your dedication to explore Lyme disease and it’s debilitating co-infections. Since 1997 I have been reading your research and campaigning for recognition that this disease is here. We have learned much from your tireless efforts and your determination – we are truly grateful and wish you dignity and inner peace as you enter this stage of your life – surrounded by family and respected by many. Jennie (NSW, Australia)
Dear Dr. B:
On behalf of my husband and myself, thank you. Your work has kept me alive and on the road to healing, a road on which my husband has now joined me – I’ve had Lyme for 6 1/2 years and he for about 3 months.
I know I would be wasting away still, from some “unknown malady,” if not for you. I might not even be here at all by now.
Thank you, sir. You will always have a place in our hearts.
Lisa and Steve
Thank you for all your wonderful research – you have helped countless people, and animals, to live! It meant a lot to me and others to see you in San Francisco at the 2008 ILADS conference and activism workshop. You are in all our thoughts – with gratitude – Robin
I am reminded of you every time I hear from a high school friend, Bill Buhles, a microbiologist who met (worked with?) you way back when you were at Walter Reed. It was before your Lyme work, but he was so impressed by you.
Thank you for dedicating your remarkable creativity and tireless work to the discovery of Lyme and for being willing to advocate for all of us who are stricken with it. Both my husband and I have chronic Lyme and he has carditis. We will keep you in our prayers. You will be forever remembered by all of us in the Lyme community.
Blessings to you and your family,
Susan in Northern California
Dear Dr. Burgdorfer,
Thank you for your tireless Lab work and for speaking your truth about spirochetes. Our world is now a better place, because of you! Thank you!!
Jillouise
Dr. Burgdorfer – It takes a special kind of man to steadfastly stand by what he knows as truth. You have persevered and won- sticking by your scientific findings and ethics, unwaveringly uncomprising in the face of efforts to subvert that research! We thank you so much for devoting your life to discovering and studying those little buggers that inhabit our bodies – and for being such an honorable man. May God continue to Bless you every single day.
day.
All my gratitude and appreciation for your pioneering work on Lyme
Marianne
Thank you for all your wonderful gifts to the world. Many Blessings to you and your family.
With Love and gratitude,
Jean
Dear Mr. Burgdorfer,
Your curious mind calls the laboratory home. Your dedicated discovery saves lives in many homes around the world.
God bless you.
Thank you! Thank you. Thank you!!!!!!!!
Thank you for having the courage to follow your intuition and overcome opposition. I and my 3 congenitally exposed daughters are eternally grateful for your uncomprehendablle contribution to science and humanity. Praying you experience the peace, comfort and validation you’ve enabled hundreds of thousands, some day if not already millions, to experience.
Elisha, M, M, and M
Dear Mr. Burgdofer ,
You have made probably the single most important & positive difference in the lives of so many affected with lyme disease when you made your discovery of the spirochete after much work & timeless hours spent researching . You truly are a world class scientist & human being , giving others such a gift with your discovery that has since saved so many lives . I can’t imagine anyone in the lyme community & beyond who is not eternally grateful to you & now that you are faced with your own health challenges I wish you much love & peace & strength to help you get through this difficult time in your life . You are a hero , a man of integrity & one we can all look up to & be thankful for who you are & what you have done in your life to make life better for others . A BIG HUG to you & many thanks !
Thank you so much for your contributions to the understanding of Lyme disease. Your work has been of great benefit to many suffering people including a number of my family members. We are very grateful.
Dr. Brurgdorfer,
I wish to thank you for all of your work and the efforts that you put into your work. It is because of your work that I have a life. I was first infected with RMSF at the age of 7, Bartonella at the age of 8 and had late stage Lyme arthritis set in at the age of 9. While it took until the age of 47 for me to find the treatments I needed to heal, it was because of your work that they were available to me. So I, and many others essentially owe our recoveries to you and your work.
Thank you for all you have done for our community – you are priceless.
Thank you so much for your work and dedication in the field of Lyme disease. Your research has saved the lives of many, and we owe you our most sincere thanks.
Dr. Burgdorfer,
You are our hero and I feel very lucky to talk to you once on the phone. You were so interested in the latest findings from our research lab, it was so refreshing to hear that you never lost your interest for Lyme disease. You are in our prayer and thank you for everything you did for the field. Very bests Eva Sapi
I wanted to thank you for your work. It has helped more people than you can imagine. You have personally touched my life and very likely saved it. As I write this, tears are running down my cheeks as I am so grateful for you. Thank you.
Dear Dr. B,
Thank you for your hard work and dedication to your research on Borrelia. You are one of the few who will leave this phase of life having made a monumental contribution and left a legacy. We are truly grateful to you. God bless you and I hope to meet you someday on the other side.
Nicole (Chronic Lyme Disease Sufferer in Maryland)
You are fearless! You helped, and continue to help, countless people including my sister. We are grateful beyond words. Your work will live forever. Peace to you and your family Dr. Burgdorfer. You are on the right side of history. You helped CREATE the Right Side of History.
Thank-you so much for all of your work.
Thank u for all ur reseach w lyme. Hoping one day all docs will be on the right page regarding lyme. Prayers for u willie.
Dearest Willy,
My deepest gratitude for a lifetime of work that has served so many and touched so profoundly. Thank you for your devotion, perseverance and keen insight. When science
intersects with the heart, its potency is amplified. Yours has been a contribution from a vastness of heart and mind that shall be remembered always and that will be the strong foundation for ever more important discovery.
With such love and gratitude,
leela d
I was very lucky to meet you at a conference in the ’90’s and have
been ever grateful for you, your incredible work, and inspiration.
The whole world owes thanks to you these days!
Sending so much love and good wishes for one of my heroes,
Ann in Ohio
Dr. Burgdorfer is a HERO in my book. Forever grateful for his work and perseverance.
Dr. Burdorfer, For your tireless efforts so very many are grateful. May you find strength in the gratitude of the many. Reach down and laugh, enjoy the love and embrace the sunshine of memory. Annie
I don’t know how to express the gratitude I have for your work. You have been a great life saver for so many people who suffer from Lyme disease. I pray that you know that you are so valuable to not just my family but families over the entire globe.
Many blessings!!
Margaret
I want to personally thank you for your life’s work and ambitions. You are an inspiration and a man of excellent character and talent. You used your gift to help others and I am forever in your debt. May God be with you and I will pray for you daily. Sending love, warmth and blessings to you and your loved ones.
Warm Regards,
Mrs. Doll Lawrence
It’s always hard to be a pioneer and you were a great one. Strong, dedicated and persistent – a worthy match for that nasty bug you discovered. So many of us are living better lives because of the work you did. So many more to come….. Thank you.
Dear Dr. Burgdorfer,
You are one of the rare scientists who does science to learn something new to help people, instead of science for the sake of advancing one’s career. Your discovery of the Borrelia burdorferi bacterium helped so many people getting diagnosed and treated. We will remember you forever.
Thank you for all of the amazing work you’ve done. I don’t think I’d be well today if it weren’t for your pioneering work. You have help millions!
Just a simple heartfelt thanks.
Dear Dr. Burgdorfer,
It is due to you that my family of 4 is well today. I hate to think of what would have become of us if you had not discovered the causative agent of Lyme. You have saved countless lives and alleviated unmeasurable suffering with your discovery. I wish we could do the same for you now.
God bless Willy Burgdorfer and his research in re Lyme Disease. He doesn’t know me but he helped me and my family deal with Lyme Disease. Our cases
go back to 1987 in northeastern Ohio. Thank you!
Dear Dr. Burgdorfer, thank you so much for your tireless work on behalf of those of us who suffer from tick-borne illnesses. Without your efforts, many of us would still be labeled hypochondriacs and given no chance of finding a cure. We will remember you with gratitude for the rest of our lives, and continue to fund research to carry on your legacy.
Thank you so very much for all the research and helping people who suffer from Lyme. Your work will never be forgotten.
For all The Lord God Almighty created you to be, and all that you have accomplished in that gift as scientist, advocate and brave warrior in this battle, thank you. There are so many praying for you and your loved ones as you walk this path, and I add my voice and prayers to the litany. God grant you mercy, grace and strength beyond comprehension, and without measure.
Melody in Texas
Dear Dr. Burgdorfer
The world is a better place because of who you are and what you have done in your laboratory. With great respect I thank you for your work and determination, which has and will save many lives. Many blessings to you, may you have a loving and gentle transition to your next journey.
Thank you so much for all the work you have done for the Lyme community. You work will live on in our hearts forever. There aren’t too many souls in this world that are willing to do what you did and keep pushing for the truth despite the pressure from peers to just sweet it under the rug.
I hope you have found peace in your heart and are finding comfort right now with your family and friends. God bless you. A true hero.
Thank you so much for each and everything you have done for the Lyme Community.. I pray that God gives you and your family so much love and peace right now, in a way that you know comes straight from him.. God Bless! (Romans 10:9)
Thank you for your work. May you rest in peace.
Dear Dr. Burgdorfer,
Thank you for your many dedicated years of service to the Lyme community. You have “walked your talk” at every possible opportunity, and enlightened and inspired so many! Without your pioneering research, we would still be light years behind in understanding the root cause of this difficult, challenging illness. Yours has truly been a life well lived, for which we thank you from the bottom of our hearts.
Fondly,
Laura and Dan Sawyer
You have made tremendous contributions and will leave behind a legacy for generations to come. Transition peacefully and happily knowing this. Thank you for all you have done.
“A hero is someone who has given his life to something bigger than oneself.”
— Joseph Campbell
Dr. Burgdorfer, thank you for your tireless and dedicated research. Please know that you have made a tremendous, positive difference in the lives of so many people! The Lyme disease community is embracing you in a heart-felt group hug. You are our hero!
Dear Mr. Burgdorfer, I will forever be grateful for your hard work, dedication, and unwavering support on behalf of the Lyme community. God bless you, sir.
With much love and respect,
Carolyn Sunday (25+ year Lyme sufferer- Ohio)
Dear Dr. Burgdorfer, Thank you sooooooooooooo much for your pioneering work with vector born diseases and all of your contributions to medical science. I have been treating the borrelia etc. in my body for ten years and because it could be identified, I am pleased to report many improvements in my health and quality of life. You are always thought of with gratitude and admiration!
Thank you for your dedication to scientific truth. Your discovery of Borrelia burgdorferi was a game changer, and will continue to be so as a new generation builds on your work.
DR Burgdorfer
I am yet another life saved by you.
This statement has been recited many times over the 25 years.
I am so grateful for the opportunity for it to fall on your ears now.
And “thank you” is simply inadequate.
You will be in my ongoing prayers. May God fill your heart and life with incredible love during the biggest fight of your life.
Dear Willy,
All of us thank you from the bottom of our hearts for “cracking the first nut” on this horrible disease called Lyme. We will always think of you as the one who helped to start the unraveling of this mystery. Wishing you peace and comfort and many good times. Sincerely, Suzanne
May God bless you! Thank you for all of th hard work you did to help those of us that have Lyme Disease. We will be forever grateful.
Dr. Burgdorfer,
My family is grateful to you for your dedication and commitment to identifying the bacteria that causes Lyme Disease. You are a national treasure and someone who has given hope to many who were hopeless in their search for answers. Thank you for all you have done and for the legacy you have created. You are an inspiration to present and future scientists who will continue to study this complex bacteria and develop effective treatment protocols that address persistent infections. May God bless you and help you as you face your personal health challenges. You have earned the respect of many throughout the world.
Dear Dr. Burgdorfer,
I am eternally grateful for your research and your endeavor to speak out about the truth. Thanks to your discovery I was able to get the appropriate treatment which saved me from Lyme Carditis at the age of 19. I have been given a second chance. I can only wish to achieve such greatness in my lifetime. My thoughts are with you and your family. Endless thanks, from the UK, words cannot express my gratitude
As someone who was recently diagnosed with Lyme after 15 years of symptoms, I cannot thank you enough for the work you have done. I’m sure you already know this but you’ve saved many lives. I can only hope knowing what you have done for so many brings joy to your heart. May God bless you and your family.
Your tireless work has given so many a chance at a better life. I hope this brings joy to your heart. Thank you so much <3
First- I would like to wish you the best of health and that you are able to visit with many friends and family members in the near future.
Secondly- your discovery of Borrelia Burgdorferi gave many people (thousands upon thousands upon thousands … actually) the hope that they needed to push further in their ailing health investigations.
Your research and discovery has made it possible for Lyme sufferers to pursue further testing of other vector borne diseases to further explain their symptoms.
Without your groundbreaking discovery – there was no step 2. It was a dead end and a very painful, hopeless one at that!!!
So THANK YOU from the bottom of my heart for believing in us and this life changing, crippling disease.
Now if only the rest of the medical world will wake up and take your discoveries seriously!
Wishing you comfort and good health in the days ahead!
Peace!
-Holly Roesing
Surfside Beach, SC
Thank you for all your hard work and dedication to the lyme community. My daughter has suffered 3 years with this terrible disease.
Thank you so much for all of your research and everything that you have done for the Lyme community. Forever grateful Lyme warrior since ’08
The Good News: Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; 4 and that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures… Eternal Life: 47 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life. Thank you for your work. Praying for you… that you believe on the Son for eternal life.
Sending you love and light and peace Dr. Willy Burgdorfer, with much gratitude for your dedicated scientific pursuit of truth and excellence in your lab.
Yours is a life to be celebrated for your extraordinary discoveries that helped to transform our world in such meaningful and positive ways.
Know that from around the globe, love and blessings are streaming your way in appreciation for your courage and compassion and brilliance as a man and as a scientist. Thank you – with love.
Mr. Burgdorfer, I’m so personally overwhelmed with profound gratitude that you discovered this spirochete. My daughter and I have both had crippling effects of Lyme Disease, but your research and the knowledge ensuing from it have resulted in our Lyme being put into remission now for years. Our lives would have been devastated permanently. I don’t know how we could ever repay you for the suffering that your discovery has alleviated. We honor you and we send you our sincere love and appreciation for the way that your work has changed our lives for the better.
Deepest gratitude and thanks,
Cherwyn Ambuter
(and daughter, Michaela Ambuter)
Because of you I got to have a life. Go in Peace
Thank you for your important work and your contribution to science and health.
Dr. Burgdorfer:
Thank you for your work on behalf of the Lyme community. Your discovery of Bb gave many hope that there was an answer for a mysterious illness. Without your research, so many would still be suffering with unknown diagnoses. As someone suffering with TBDs, I thank you from the bottom of my heart.
My your family and friends bring you comfort in this phase of your life.
Hi Willie,
I worked on Q fever at RML as a graduate student from 1980 – 1983 and remember your keen scientific insight regarding tick-borne pathogens. Thank you for the numerous contributions you made in your career that have benefitted humanity.
-Dave Waag
Thank you for all you have done for Lyme disease. Every time I saw you speak about the illness, whether it was online or in a film, it brought tears to my eyes. Everything you had done and were trying to do, to help people like me was heartwarming. I will appreciate you forever. You had mentioned in one interview that there were things you could not disclose. I hope that you have written them and that they may be disclosed after your beautiful time on earth is gone. THANK YOU.
Dr. Burgdorfer,
You are an amazing scientist who has been so pationate about your life’s work. You have helped so many through your research and published journals. Your life has been a beacon of hope for many! May God give you comfort in your time of need. Prayers for you and your family.
Deepest Respect
Regards,
Linda Hartley
Dear Willy
Thank you for your many years of incredible research and for putting a name to a bacteria that causes illness in so many people. Thanks to you, people who contract Borellia Burgdorferi have hope for healing.
I will always be grateful to you for what you have shared with the world.
Godspeed and God bless you!
Your discoveries contributed enormously to understanding, and thus treating, lyme. Thank you for your dedication and commitment. You truly have left this earth a better place for your work.
Dear Dr. Burgdorfer,
My deepest appreciation for your contributions to the Lyme Community! Where would we all be without you! Surely, you are blessed! May only Love, Light & comfort enfold you & your family at this ‘special’ time!
Sending you all my love!
Jessica
You are a hero to so many! Your discoveries have helped so many of us and will continue to help many, many more. We all want to thank you from the bottom of our hearts for all the hard work that you have done. Thank you!!
Warmest wishes and peace to you!
Monday Mercer
Posting this at the request of someone who couldn’t post it herself:
willy and lois,
i know 1st hand of advanced parkinson’s and advanced dementia well; my husband has had PD for 5 of 10 yrs. with essential tremors 1st diagnosed for him. dementia sent in the last 2-3 yrs.
also had UNDIAGNOSED chronic lyme disease that had many igenex positive protein bands but not meeting cdc criteria.
i’ve had him in a nursing home since april 1 until nov. 13 when he PASSED AWAY FROM CANCER of right lung and liver compressing his pulmonary artery and diagnosed for 1st time 2 days PRIOR to his death. NO CANCER ever showed up on his chest xrays all these yrs. before the stage 4 diagnosis! still in shock.
have his celebration of life on wed, ll.19. i donated his body to des moines university for medical students to learn from and be able to diagnose CORRECTLY the many illnesses he had at the end of his 77 yrs. of life.
willy, words can’t express enough from each of us how much YOUR persistent research has meant to each of our lives and being able to have a CORRECT DIAGNOSIS NAME, and not be labeled, IT’S ALL IN YOUR HEAD mentality.
have a pleasant journey willy; perhaps you might meet my husband in heaven some day; small world you know? lol
bettyg, iowa lyme/parkinson’s/dementia activist
46 yrs. chronic lyme this xmas
35 yrs. misdiagnosed by 40-50 drs; unacceptable!
Your work, your contribution to science, is a blessing to millions. Thank you for your tireless work. God bless you, sir!
Dear Willy Burgdorfer, your discovery of the spirochete that got your name was a great achievement of big importance for numerous sick people all over the world, myself inclusive.
I have learned a lot from reading your published articles. You deserve to be remembered for eternity, with Love.
Dear Dr Burgerdorfer and family,
Thank you for studying and finding the Lyme spirochete named in your honor. Without you many of us would be seriously crippled or dead. I was very crippled, couldn’t talk right, think right, but due to the now known facts about the disease, I eventually improved some. I would be severely crippled or even dead without your research. You improved so many thousands maybe millions of lives and I just wanted to say thank you. I am is proud of great thinkers like you. Thank you thank you thank you!!!!!!!
Dear Sir,
I send you Belgium greetings, wished it could be accompanied by Belgium chocolate. Or beer. I hope you do not have to feel any pain and want to thank you for your “persistent” strive against Lyme. I have to fight a little further and will get better, all thanks to you. You will be in my thoughts, sir !
Big hug from Joke !
Thank GOD for the day you were born Willy B. You shined a light upon a deadly evil bacteria that has changed the world and the health of millions. I pray that the news of your passing will ignite the minds of young doctors to investigate all that you did in your career! I pray that your family will be blessed by the love that we as lyme sufferers/ VICTORS have for you and your discovery and all your work!! Many blessings and God speed!!
Gracias por su aportación a la ciencia.
Gracias por hacer que tantos enfermos sepamos que hay algo contra que luchar y que no es producto de nuestra imaginación.
Its amazing that even with this man’s discovery that the debate still goes on with lyme. Im glad that he put a name on this aweful disease. Thank You
Thank you – as a Lyme disease sufferer in my 20’s in South Africa – if it were not for your research no-one would have known what was wrong… as it was I spent 6 months being told it was all in my head. You have done so much good with your life! Take care – I wish you well
Thank you for your dedication to the discovery of Borrelia. Without you, my husband would be stumbling through life, and my child would be on antidepressants. Your work has affected and will affect millions of people. YOU were the game changer. Thank you, thank you, thank you.
-Roberta
You’ve always supported the quest for further research and answers to the important questions regarding the diagnosis and treatment of Lyme. To have the discoverer of Lyme stand with us in this fight is a great gift. You are our icon. The Lyme community will be vastly poorer for your loss, but has been enriched greatly by your work and support. You will be missed.
May you find peace,
K. Moore
Infected at age 12
Diagnosed at age 27
IV treatment for 15 months
In “remission” for 1 year
I never met Dr. Burgdorfer, but I have met the bacterium which he discovered. Without his contribution to human-kind, the suffering of many would be decidedly worse without the knowledge we have. Many have been cured and live healthier lives, while many languish as a new generation of researchers continue to dedicate their time to understanding this bacterium with your namesake and why it continues to haunt so many of us in our lives.
Much of your gracious efforts have been outside of the laboratory as well. Your assistance in lending support to the community of patients who continue to suffer in the midst of severe controversy – a true war where life and death is central – makes us all proud. We all feel as though we know you a little because of your efforts.
To those left behind – loved ones, friends, his wife – what can I say? I know grief, but not your grief. I know the impact he made on my life – I can’t imagine the impact he made on yours. To my mind, he will be unforgettable, for you he will be a thought away, waiting to hear your heart beat as you move closer to him. Move close, hear his voice within.
A fitting tribute with these lyrics from Jon Foreman:
Flowers cut and brought inside
Black cars in a single line
Your families in suits and ties,
But you’re free.
The ache I feel inside
Is where the light has left your eyes
I’m alone for our last goodbye
But your free.
I remember you like yesterday
Yesterday.
And until I’m with you
I’ll carry on.
Adrift on your ocean floor
I feel weightless, numb, and sore
A part of you in me is torn
But your free
I woke from a dream last night
I dreamt that you were by my side
Reminding me I still had life
In me
I’ll carry on
Every lament is a love song
Yesterday, yesterday
I still can’t believe you’re gone
So long my friend, so long
Sincerely,
Michael David Parent – METALLlC BLUE
Lyric Credit: Switchfoot
You have touched more lives than most. Lyme sufferers around the globe praise you for your intelligence & sharing. You will live on in the lives of many & your research will be forever appreciated & acknowledged. Thank you, Willy.
We send heartfelt thanks from Plano, TX for your dedication and research! Because of this research, both of my children and I were diagnosed with Lyme disease this June. Because of your research, we have hope for healing and a healthy future.
Thank you seems hardly enough to say to express what a difference Dr. Burgdorfer has made to me personally, and to the world community. His careful, deliberate science and his thoughtful consideration of the possible have benefitted us all. When I educate about Lyme, I often quote Dr. Burgdorfer from talks I was so privileged to hear him give years ago now. I was so blessed to actually meet him and shake his hand and thank him in person. I write in celebration of his life and to offer sympathy to his family. May the peace that passes understanding be yours and comfort those you have left behind, Dr. Burgdorfer. God bless you each and all.
With respect, gratitude and affection,
Bea Szantyr, MD
Lincoln, Maine
A thank you seems so insignificant for the invaluable contribution you have made to science and medicine by discovering Borrelia burgdorferi. Thanks to you millions of people world wide are beginning to understand the complex set of pathogens that are causing them illness. One can only hope that you will be able to influence future research from your heavenly home. Sincere condolences to the Burgdorfer family.
Dr Bergdorfer and his contribution will never be forgotten. Our hearts and our gratitude go out to him and his family for his work and dedication.
We are saddened for the loss of a brilliant scientist and humanitarian,
Dr. Wilhelm Burgdorfer.
For those who must battle the ignorance of the medical and legal communities, while coincidentally battling tick-borne infections, our friend Willy was a ray of light, and a beacon of hope. May his family and friends take comfort in knowing that his dedicated work helped thousands to identify the source of their suffering, and to take heart that their lives might be restored.
We are grateful for Willy’s dedication to our cause. As he takes his place in the perfection of our Heavenly Father’s mansion, we offer our prayers and thanks.
Well done, good and faithful servant.
Thank you for your groundbreaking research that has made such a difference in the lives of Lyme patients! Rest in peace, Dr. Burgdorfer.
My very sincere condolences to Lois and his family.
Everyone has stated such beautiful tributes that I don’t think I can add much more. We, who have Lyme and all of the other “cooties”, will be eternally grateful for Willy’s dedication and moxie!!! Our current medical system needs more MDs like him; more importantly, it needs a complete overhaul!
We can never thank Willy enough and we are all grateful. We know his work will be carried by all those hardworking LLMDs out there around the world.
Dear Lois, I have been sick for decades (1967) and only discovered 4 years ago that I had Lyme Disease. I am grateful to your husband for his tireless work and his discovery of the Lyme bacteria. Thanks to newer, better testing, my LLMD put the pieces together and knew that I had Lyme. After 4 years of treatment, we have eradicated the bacteria. We are now trying to improve the damage done to my nervous system and brain’s firewall. I have been disabled by Lyme for 14-1/2 years. The fallout is horrendous. Your husband’s work is invaluable, not only to Lyme sufferers, but to other chronic illness sufferers as well. May God comfort you in your time of loss.
Posting for another who couldn’t get her post accepted:
Dr. Willy,
It took 7 months to diagnose my lyme and to start treating it’s terrible symptoms. If it weren’t for your persistence and discovery of Borrellia, I and many others would still be waiting. Thanks so much for your dedication. Rest peacefully knowing you made a difference in the world.
Barb B
The world thanks you for discovering the cause of Lyme disease.
You have been an inspiration to me and others to fight the medical corruption associated with Lyme disease.
God bless you.
IS IT possible to tell TRUTH TO POWER? If not, understood.I cannot find words to express my gratitude for your research.
AGAIN, Now, at this difficult time, might it be possible to tell TRUTH TO POWER? If not, understood. It is a LOT to request. But would mean much far into the future.
Love to life spouse, wish that I were a friend who could contribute at this time.
Mary Britton (entire family infected)
Dr. Burgdorfer: Thank you for all your contributions to lyme disease. Only a selective few receive the brillant title in the world of doctors. You were one of them. Rest in peace. Prayers to your family. McCalls in Texas
I am so grateful for Dr Burgdorfer’s work, he has saved so many lives and so much suffering throughout the world. His work saved seriously ill people from the indignity of not being believed and gave them access to treatment that allows healing. Many of us would have succumbed to psychiatric diagnoses and had our suffering amplified by the insanity of psycho-active medication but for him and his dedication.
Rest in Peace after a life well lived, Dr Burgdorfer. My heartfelt sympathy to your family, may they take comfort in knowing how many lives he touched.
It is with deepest sadness and gratitude that we express our condolescences to you Lois on your loss. Dr Burgdorfer was a “life changer”. He gave a devastating illness legitimacy and a name by his indepth discoveries and tireless work. Thank you Dr B. for you giving us all light out of darkness.
My condolences for your loss. My thoughts and prayers are with you in this difficult time. I’m truly grateful for your husband’s work and influence in regards to Lyme disease. What a blessing that he was so dedicated to this cause!
I am deeply grateful for the brilliant work, dedication, and willingness to speak up that Dr. Willy Bergdorfer gave to all of us. His gifts have made it possible for many millions of people the world over to receive diagnosis and treatment, in spite of the issues presented by “the powers that be.”
Yes, he more than deserved a Nobel prize for his work. The beneficial effects of his work are incalculable.
I feel as if I knew him, even though, I never met him or spoke with him. His presence in Under Our Skin, and in the interview with Andy Wilson and staff, and his abiding caring, dedication, and humor made me feel that way.
We wish Dr. Berdorfer’s spirit love and peace, and his wife, the rest of his family and friends, comfort in their grief. Lois, you have generously shared him with the world, thank you!
Dear Dr. Burgdorfer,
On behalf of all Lyme patients, thank you for your excellent work.
Thank you Willy for your tireless work!! May you rest in peace knowing that you have helped give a name and face to those who suffer from this awful Lyme Disease!! God Bless you and your surviving family.
WE ARE SO GRATEFUL TO GOD FOR INSPIRING PEOPLE LIKE YOU, DR, FOR DEVOTING YOUR LIFE’S WORK TO HELPING THOSE AFFLICTED WITH LYME AND ITS VARIANTS. PRAYING YOU ARE IN GOD’S SAFE KEEPING IN YOUR TIME HERE ON EARTH. THANK, THANK YOU