March 20, 1955 �" July 18, 2010
The gay community and the California Pacific Medical Center have suffered the enormous and tragic loss of an incredible friend and dedicated physician with the untimely passing of Brian Friedman, M.D., who collapsed while jogging near his vacation home in Palm Springs, California, on Sunday morning, July 18, 2010. He was 55 years old. Reaction to the shocking news about our beloved "Dr. Brian" has been one of universal disbelief, and the immense outpouring of sympathy being expressed reflects just how very much he was loved by all.
While many of us remember Brian as the happy-go-lucky guy who spread joy everywhere he went in our Castro neighborhood, other of us remember him as the reassuring, reliable, and thoughtful physician who cared for us at the Davies Medical Center Emergency Room. Brian was the heart and soul of the Davies E.R., and he dedicated his life to making absolutely certain that each and every member of our community was treated with the utmost dignity, respect, and compassion while receiving the highest quality medical care.
Brian, who trained in Family Medicine, grew up in Los Angeles before attending college at the University of Arkansas (Class of 1977), where he served as undergraduate student body president, and where he won the prestigious Pi Kappa Alpha National Award for outstanding service. He obtained his medical education and training at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences in Little Rock, and he was married to Eugenie Baranoff while there. Shortly after graduating from medical school, Brian visited San Francisco and, as he was fond of saying, he found himself and his home on his very first stroll down Castro Street.
Starting off as a private family practice doctor in town, Dr. Friedman joined the Davies Emergency Room staff part-time in 1987. He immediately discovered that he loved E.R. work in the Castro because of the opportunity it afforded him to administer medical services to his beloved community, and he soon transitioned to full-time. He quickly became the Medical Director of the Davies E.R., and he proudly held this position for over 20 years until his death. Brian worked diligently both behind-the-scenes and as a front-line E.R. doctor to ensure the highest quality care at Davies, and he was always looking for opportunities to improve that care. He insisted that the hospital and the emergency room provide his patients with everything that they needed, no matter who they were. He would spend whatever time was necessary with a patient to bring them comfort, no matter how long it took. It was routine practice for him to follow-up with patients after they returned home the next day to inquire about how they were doing.
Brian had a rare gift for empathy, and he was famous for his ability to form a unique bond with each patient he treated. Everyone adored him, and because of his influence, the Davies E.R. is nationally renowned for its consistently excellent caliber of service. In his personal time, Brian was an avid runner and member of FrontRunners, and a frequent attendee at Billy Club gatherings. He loved collecting and refurbushing Art Nouveau furniture, and he had a small antique business. He had just bought a new home in the desert with his partner, and he was looking forward to spending less time on duty when he took his fateful last run.
Brian is survived by Kevin Pedretti, his partner of 20 years, his mother Collette Friedman of Westlake Village, California, his siblings Scott Tree, Victoria Friedman Cohen, and Zettelyss Amora, and his extended family at Davies. He was preceded in death by his father Robert A. Friedman and his stepfather David Steinpress.
The CPMC Department of Emergency Medicine and the Davies Campus together with Brian's partner and family held a private Memorial Service at the Davies Campus Gazebo on Monday, July 26, 2010. A public Celebration of Life is being planned for Tuesday, August 24, at the Castro Theater and details regarding the upcoming service will be made available at the Davies Emergency Room (415-565-6060) for all who wish to attend.